The emerald waters didn't settle after the two men jumped out; instead, the turbulence intensified.
The disappearance of Nanda Parbat's anti-magic field didn't bring Thea any joy. A drop of cold sweat slid down her forehead as she felt a massive, vile energy surging relentlessly from the pool.
Thea couldn't tell if it was always like this, or if Jason and Yao Fei's entry had broken some seal. Either way, a world filled with malevolent forces was connecting to this place through the water.
Using magic constructs to bind Jason and Yao Fei—who now looked more like beasts than men—she tossed them to Nightwing and the others before turning her attention back to the pool.
Disordered, evil energy was leaking into this world through a tiny crack in the water.
Even this sliver of energy wasn't resting; it was constantly trying to corrupt the combatants on the scene. The heroes had wills of steel and weren't affected, and the League's minions were rigorously trained, so they showed no signs of corruption for now.
But Thea knew this state wouldn't last long. As the crack widened and more corrupting power seeped into this world, willpower alone wouldn't be enough to hold out.
Bruce, we have a problem! An evil passage has opened up. You and Ra's need to stop fighting. I'm evacuating the team and will try to seal this place.
Thea used telepathy to message Batman, but she waited thirty seconds and got no response.
Didn't he hear me? Or what?
Thea was puzzled for a moment before slapping her forehead. She was being an idiot.
Batman doesn't have telepathy! He was just a human; he couldn't receive mental transmissions!
Just as she was about to use the Eye of Horus to check the situation outside, her Power Armor's communication system intercepted a new call request.
Thea opened it effortlessly. Batman's agile figure appeared on the HUD. "Nice comms system. Did Felicity make it? I heard your message, but Ra's al Ghul went completely berserk a minute ago. I can't stop him now."
After speaking, Batman panned the camera toward Ra's. The previously elegant elder had transformed completely. His symptoms were far worse than Jason or Yao Fei's; his attacks were now laced with blood-red energy.
"He's corrupted. After soaking in the Pit for so many years, his body stopped being human long ago." Thea made a judgment instantly, recalling his mutated constitution from their last fight.
"Can he recover?"
"I don't know. I have to seal the breach here first. We'll deal with the rest later."
They ended the call quickly. Thea turned to Talia. "Can you control these people? Your father has gone mad outside. We can only rely on you here."
Talia was an ambitious woman. If it weren't for her relationship with Batman, she would be a stranger to the concept of justice. Hearing that Ra's had gone mad, a trace of sadness flashed across her face, but it was quickly replaced by the thrill of opportunity.
"I'll try! If you can help me get the old man's ring, I'd be more confident." Talia whispered.
Thea shot her a cold look. "Put away your schemes. I know your rules—whoever wears the ring commands the League. Just stabilize them and don't cause trouble for me. The other side of this pool is an extremely evil world. If my seal fails, no one here survives."
Talia didn't get angry at the rejection. She slashed down two enemies with her sword, leaped onto a high platform, and shouted, "Brothers of the League! I am Talia al Ghul! I am the eldest daughter of the Demon's Head! Listen to me!"
It had to be said that Talia held high prestige within the League. When she defected, hundreds had followed her to the death. Although the current crowd wasn't loyal to that extent, they respected her.
A large swath of black-clad assassins stopped their attacks to listen.
"The Demon's Head has gone mad!" Talia dropped a bombshell.
"You lie!"
"Impossible!"
"Traitor!"
The crowd exploded. Ra's disciples were all over the world. In an instant, assassins cursing in various languages turned on Talia. However, most of their curses involved ancestors but stopped short of insulting Ra's himself, so their momentum was a bit lacking.
Thea was busy carving the sealing circle. The Constantine bloodline had dealt with demons for generations; summoning and sealing were their bread and butter. Although she was a bit annoyed that Talia was using this opportunity to seize power, she decided to help her out.
A giant Water Mirror spell materialized in front of everyone.
The image in the mirror showed Batman and Ra's al Ghul fighting outside. The old man's eyes were crimson, the sounds from his throat were bestial, and his entire aura had changed. Anyone could see there was a problem.
"See that? He's mad! I am the true leader! Sardin, do you still trust me? Philip, have you forgotten who taught you archery?"
Talia used both carrot and stick, stating facts while appealing to the specific assassins she was close with.
The crowd's attitude softened quickly. Many were loyal to the system, not the man. If the Demon's Head was truly mad, then pledging loyalty to Talia wasn't out of the question.
"Go! Quickly!"
Thea was sweating profusely. She didn't know if it was Trigon on the other side, but she had never faced such immense pressure. The entity was clearly held back by something, not using its full power to break the barrier between worlds.
Talia knew Thea wasn't bluffing and immediately ordered everyone to evacuate.
"You guys go first. I'll see if I can help." Nightwing showed true leadership qualities. He knocked out Yao Fei and Jason, directing Batgirl and Shado to leave first while he stayed behind.
Thea nodded at him. Her energy was focused on the magic circle; she had no time to spare.
As Thea chanted the incantation loudly, a mysterious rhythm filled the small room. But the resistance from the other side increased. The passage between worlds didn't shrink; it widened slightly.
Even fighting across dimensions, Thea could tell the opponent was leagues above her. She was fighting on her home turf, and the opponent was restricted, yet they could still widen the crack. This power far eclipsed even Horus back in the day.
Thea took the Dead King's Scepter from her spatial ring and released a magical double.
Mind and body connected, casting spells simultaneously. They immediately curbed the opponent's speed in breaking the barrier. The Dead King's Scepter amplified Thea's magic and shortened the casting time.
For a moment, things seemed to be turning around.
Suddenly, Thea's pupils constricted.
A black shadow drilled ferociously out of the crack, striking toward her like lightning.