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Hell's idea of a town was an insult to the word. There were structures if one was generous. Leaning spines of blackened stone pressed together, their surfaces etched with half-erased names that still whispered when you passed too close. Streets existed only by habit, paths worn down by centuries of creatures pacing, fleeing, or being dragged screaming from one place to another.
Arthur walked without hurry, boots crunching softly against ash, Kara hovered half a step behind him, eyes constantly moving. She didn't like this place. Not because of fear, because of the absence of resistance. Hell was loud elsewhere. Here, it was too quiet.
John Constantine lit a cigarette out of pure reflex… then sighed and tucked it away when it refused to burn properly.
"Y'know," he said, glancing around at the crooked alleys and hollow windows, "this is about as safe as Hell gets. Bit of a dead zone. No big players. No active warpaths."
Arthur didn't look at him.
"Don't worry," he said calmly. "This area is empty because the chaos hasn't reached it yet."
John snorted. "Comforting."
Arthur continued walking. "Most of Hell is… busy. Whatever's happening up there" his eyes flicked toward the warped sky "has pulled attention away from places like this."
John scratched at the back of his neck, shoulders still tense. "Right. Forgot I'm walkin' alongside an eldritch horror with a crown made of shadows." He shot Arthur a sideways look. "Honestly? Reassuring that you're here. Don't get me wrong."
Arthur glanced at him briefly. "I won't."
Zatanna exhaled slowly, pushing her coat tighter around herself. The air prickled against her skin. "Then do what you said you would," she said. "You promised a guide."
John grimaced. "Yeah, yeah. A guide."
Kara leaned closer to Arthur, lowering her voice. "Is it just me, or does John seem… more awkward than usual?"
Arthur didn't hesitate.
"He is, for a good reason."
Kara asked, her voice still a whissper "What do you mean?"
Arthur replied "If my theory is correct it's a serious problem for him, but we'll find out soon enough."
John stopped walking.
He stared at a half-collapsed square ahead an open stretch of scorched stone ringed by broken pillars and something that might once have been a fountain, now filled with slow-moving black substance. His eyes narrowed, calculating angles.
"This'll do," he said.
Arthur halted beside him. "You are going to call someone?"
John nodded. "Since we're already in Hell, callin' the bastard's easy. He's not crossin' dimensions. Just… answering a knock."
Zatanna watched carefully as John knelt, pulling chalk, blood, and something that definitely had not come from Earth out of his coat. "You're sure this won't attract unwanted attention?"
John smirked without humor. "Oh, it absolutely will."
Arthur folded his arms. "I know who you're summoning."
John paused, eyebrow lifting. "Oh?"
Kara turned toward Arthur. "Who?"
Arthur's lips twitched barely.
"A strong demon."
Kara stared at him. Then scowled. "Wow. Really? I thought he'd call the brightest being in existence. Of course it's a demon, Arthur."
John snorted as he finished the last sigil. "Love the confidence, sunshine. But I think Arthur actually knows this demon, he left his mark in history after all."
The symbols ignited.
The pentagram carved itself deeper into the stone, lines burning white-hot and heat surged contained rather than wild. Then the ground cracked.
A pillar of fire erupted upward, coiling, shaping itself into form.
And from it stepped a figure clad in hellfire and muscle, eyes blazing red, voice already rising
"Gone, gone the form of man..
Rise the demon, Etrigan!"
The flames died down, revealing him fully, horned, massive, cloak of fire snapping behind him.
Etrigan looked around once.
Twice.
Then his gaze locked on John.
"…You."
John stood, dusting off his coat. "Missed you too, mate."
Etrigan's lip curled. "Of all the pits, of all the calls,
It is you who breaks my brawls?"
He turned away immediately, already walking. "I have no time for tricks or jest. Important business calls me hence.."
John didn't follow.
He just smirked.
"You want it too, just admit it." he said casually.
Etrigan stopped.
Slowly, deliberately, the demon turned back.
The fire in his eyes sharpened. "Careful, speak plain.. or speak no more."
John met his stare, unfazed. "The power shift. The empty throne, you too want the Crown of Horns."
Arthur crossed his arms watching them.
Etrigan's grin spread wide.
"…Ah," the demon rumbled.
"Then perhaps… my time is not misplaced after all."
John rested his hands in his coat pockets, posture loose in a way that fooled absolutely no one.
"Of course," he said dryly, glancing up at the demon, "I never call you for a stupid reason."
Etrigan barked a laugh, fire flickering behind his teeth.
"False words drip from your tongue,
For fools you summon me from dung.
Each time you swear it's dire need... Yet chaos always is your deed."
John rolled his eyes. "Missed you too, poetry slam from Hell."
"Look, Etrigan. We're not here to start a war. " He gestured vaguely at the twisted streets beyond the square. "There's already plenty of that going around. We need information. Something useful. You live here. You know Hell better than all of us combined."
Etrigan's grin widened, sharp and pleased.
"Ah.. now that tone I do admire.
To trade in truth, not empty fire."
He turned his head then, finally giving the others more than a passing glance, and stopped when his eyes landed on Arthur.
The demon stiffened.
A low rumble escaped his chest.
"You," Etrigan said, slowly, carefully. "You are the Shadow that Azazel sensed."
Arthur raised an eyebrow, expression calm, curious rather than offended.
John blinked. "Azazel?" He shot Etrigan a sharp look. "What the hell are you doing with that bastard?"
Etrigan chuckled, flames licking higher around his shoulders.
"Helping him climb where angels fell..
Until I stab him, take his hell."
John pinched the bridge of his nose. "…Right."
Zatanna frowned, magic stirring instinctively around her. "Azazel isn't just a demon," she said quietly. "He's that powerful."
Etrigan scoffed, straightening to his full height.
"Power is scale, and I stand tall
Compared to me, he's barely all."
"Alright," John said, clapping once. "Enough chest-thumping. Fill us in."
Etrigan's expression shifted then, less amused. When he spoke, even his rhyme became serious.
"Hear now the truth of Hell's despair:
A war ignites for empty chair.
The throne once ruled, now stands unclaimed,
And every lord would have it named."
John nodded grimly. "Massive war. Everyone with horns and ambition clawing at each other."
He glanced at Arthur as he continued, "They all want the crown left behind by Queen Mazikeen. They feared her because of Lucifer, yeah, but also because she was herself." A pause, then a crooked smirk. "She was in the bar, by the way."
Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly. "I sensed another strong presence alongside Lucifer back then," he said calmly.
Kara folded her arms. "Seems like those two really don't care much about Hell."
Etrigan snorted.
"They never did, nor ever will
While Hell bleeds dry, they drink their fill."
He raised one clawed finger.
"Hear now the players in this game.
First Neron cruel in deed and name.
A lord of contracts, cold and sly
And mark my words.. he's not alone. An unseen strength walks by his side."
Arthur's gaze sharpened.
Etrigan continued, pacing slowly as he spoke.
"Then comes the Triumvirate
The First of Fallen, cunning, cruel,
With Beelzebub and Belial too.
A trio bound by ancient sin
They scheme as one, and rot within."
"Nasty threesome," John muttered. "That tracks."
Etrigan's grin returned, sharper now.
"Next.. Azazel, bold and blind,
With my great help, his hopes entwined.
Yet mark me well, his fate is sealed
For I shall wear the crown revealed."
John sighed. "Of course you will."
Etrigan's eyes gleamed as he lifted another finger.
"And lastly twins who stir the shade,
Born of a wizard and The First Mother's blade.
Blaze and Satanus, fire and guile
They whisper wars and wait their while.
But they too fail, as all must do
For Hell has room for only few."
"Shit, this is serious." John said quietly.
Zatanna swallowed. "Maybe… maybe it's time to turn back, John."
Arthur shook his head once. "This is useful," he said evenly. "At least now we know the factions of this war." His eyes lifted to Etrigan. "But do all of them truly want the crown?"
Etrigan stopped pacing.
"More than breath. More than flame.
More than their souls, more than their name."
He stepped closer to Arthur, each footfall heavy, the demon's red eyes narrowed, burning inches from Arthur's face.
"Tell me then, Shadow crowned in night
Do you desire Hell's great height?"
Arthur didn't step back.
His violet eyes met Etrigan's fire head-on. The shadows behind him stirred,
A faint smile touched his lips.
"Do I?"
/-\
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