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John stepped forward immediately, one hand raised, the other already twitching toward the sigils sewn into his coat. "Alright, fiery Shakespeare, let's dial it back.."
Etrigan didn't even look at him.
His attention never left Arthur.
Once more, the demon stepped closer, heat rolling off his frame in slow, controlled waves.
"Answer me, Shadow draped in night
Do you crave Hell's throne and right?"
"Etrigan.." John warned, sharper now.
Before Arthur could move, before the shadows could react.
Kara punched him.
The impact cracked the air like thunder.
Etrigan's massive form was hurled backward, smashing through two walls and vanishing in a cloud of fire, ash, and shattered stone. The ground trembled as his body skidded across the square, carving a molten trench before disappearing into the ruins beyond.
Silence.
John stared, mouth open.
Zatanna froze mid-incantation.
"…Why did you.." John began.
Kara raised both hands defensively, unapologetic. "He irritates me."
She glanced at Arthur, then back at the wreckage. "Besides, that was the better option. Arthur would've done something worse."
Arthur smiled faintly, shaking his head once. "She's not wrong."
John groaned. "This will anger him. We really should've avoided any kind of fight right now. And Etrigan isn't exactly a pushover."
Right on cue
Fire exploded from the ruins.
Etrigan rose slowly from the wreckage, laughter booming, hellfire pouring off him in waves. His voice thundered in rhyme, both in fury and delight.
"Strike me once, you shining brat
Now taste the flame for daring that!"
His body superheated, infernal fire blazing across his skin as he thrust both hands forward.
A torrent of hellfire roared toward Kara.
"Shit," John hissed.
Zatanna stepped forward, magic flaring.
Too late.
The flames were already there
And then they stopped.
A massive shadow dropped from above.
One enormous wing unfolded mid-descent, black and radiant at once, intercepting the hellfire in a violent burst of steam and sparks. The flames curled, dispersed, and died against the impossible darkness of the feathers.
The figure landed between Kara and Etrigan with a ground-shaking impact.
A Shadow Soldier stood tall, armored, imposing, haloed by darkness.
Bellion.
Etrigan's red eyes widened.
"…A shadow… angel?" he rasped.
Arthur's smile deepened. "You are quite smart."
John stared. "Bloody hell…"
Zatanna's breath caught, awe overriding fear. "That's… beautiful."
Bellion turned his head slowly toward Etrigan, voice cold and resonant.
"Vile demon."
Etrigan's gaze shifted from Bellion to Arthur, who stood relaxed, arms crossed, almost amused.
"I see now," Etrigan said softly.
"The depth of night you truly are."
Arthur stepped forward. "Listen carefully," he said evenly. "This is Hell. A realm of certain rules, chaos, and contracts." His eyes gleamed violet. "So let's speak its language."
The shadows at his feet stirred.
"How about a contract?" Arthur continued. "You are proud. Stronger than most here." He gestured to Bellion. "If you defeat my soldier, he will serve you. If you fail, you serve me."
Etrigan threw his head back and laughed, flames roaring higher.
"You praise my wit, yet mock my pride
For shadows serve but one inside.
Such pact is false, such deal a lie
The Shadow bows to none but thy."
Arthur didn't flinch.
"Then let me sweeten it."
The air shifted.
"You lose, you serve me."
"You win I serve you."
He paused, eyes burning brighter.
"And so does my shadow."
Silence crashed down
Etrigan's laughter stopped.
His eyes narrowed, then slowly, wickedly, he smiled.
"…Now that," he said, voice low, eager, "is a wager worth the flame."
He carved a sigil into the air with a claw, blood and fire intertwining. The contract sealed itself with a deafening crack.
John swallowed hard. "Arthur… are you sure you know what you're doing?"
Arthur looked at him.
Said nothing.
John sighed. "Alright then."
Kara clenched her fists, grinning. "Kick his ass, Bellion."
Bellion reached behind him.
From the shadows emerged his weapon, a massive, segmented blade that locked together into a colossal greatsword, then rippled, flexing, capable of snapping into a long-range whip in an instant.
He planted it into the ground.
"You have my word." Bellion said.
John backed away quickly. "Oh boy. We should keep a safe distance."
The ground trembled before the first strike.
Bellion remained still. Silent. A monolith of shadow, wings unfurled, armor glinting, the segmented blade in his hands. He didn't speak. He didn't taunt his enemy. He was just waiting.
Etrigan surged forward, faster than the eye could follow. He threw a spinning kick that split the ground with concussive force, sending molten shards flying toward Bellion. The Shadow Marshall tilted the blade, snapping the segments outward to intercept, bending the molten shards harmlessly into a wall of black. Sparks cascaded, lighting the combatants in strobing flashes of hellfire and shadow.
"You dare stand here, silent shadow?" Etrigan growled, flames curling along his forearms. "Does silence mask fear, or arrogance?"
Bellion pivoted, the massive blade whipping in a blinding arc that could cleave mountains. Etrigan countered with an uppercut, fire flaring around his fist, but the Shadow absorbed the strike with a single black-armored gauntlet, sending Etrigan skidding back without breaking form.
Arthur, Kara, John, and Zatanna stood behind a barrier, a dome of violet shadow that swallowed flame and magic alike. The air inside felt impossibly calm compared to the chaos beyond.
John's cigarette hung forgotten between his fingers. "Where… where did you find that being?" His eyes never left Bellion. "You didn't kill an angel, did you?"
Arthur's violet eyes flickered, watching the fight with detached amusement. "It's not important where I found him."
John blinked slowly, mouth tightening. He opened it to press further but then let it drop, sighing in irritation. He knew better than to expect an answer from Arthur.
Kara's arms were crossed, eyes narrowing as she looked at John. "Trenchcoat," she said, voice sharp, "you also hide things. I know what you want to say."
"This fight will take a while," Arthur said quietly, tone almost contemplative. "Seeing Etrigan fight… it almost makes me want to add him to my shadows as well."
John's jaw dropped. He blinked twice. "…Wait. What?"
Kara's eyes flicked from Arthur to the battlefield, wary but intrigued. "Really? You're thinking about adding him?"
Arthur's lips curled in the faintest smile. "I'll decide later. For now… watch."
Etrigan roared, summoning fire from the very stone beneath them. The ground cracked, flames crawling like serpents toward Bellion. Bellion did not move, his shadow armor stretched and shifted, feathers snapping outward, absorbing the fire in a ripple of darkness. When Etrigan swung to strike again, Bellion didn't even block conventionally he twisted midair, using his segmented blade to snap out one segment like a whip, deflecting Etrigan's claw and sending him spinning back several meters.
Etrigan's laugh was molten and sharp. "Ha! Clever shadow, but can you withstand Hell itself?" He stomped, launching fireballs into the air that split into smaller infernal orbs, all homing in on Bellion with precision.
The Shadow shifted, coiling the blade around his arm, letting the flaming orbs burn against the darkness of his armor, evaporating into ash before they could reach him. Then, with a single, fluid motion, he extended the whip-end of his blade like a lance and struck, sending Etrigan skidding, sparks and flames erupting with every inch of contact.
John's eyes widened. "Holy hell…"
Zatanna muttered, unconsciously tracing a circle of protection in the air, almost mesmerized. "He fights in such a way.."
Kara's mouth was a thin line, but her eyes sparkled. "Bellion is really good."
Etrigan regained his footing in an instant, slamming his palm to the ground. The battlefield shifted violently as his geokinesis raised jagged black spires beneath Bellion. Rock shot like knives toward him. Bellion didn't blink. His blade extended like a whip, slicing through the stone mid-air, dispersing it harmlessly.
"Your shadow guards you well," Etrigan growled, advancing. "But shadows cannot sway the fire in my veins!"
Bellion didn't respond.
Arthur's smile widened faintly behind the barrier. "Etrigan is impressive, but he's still... human.. in comparison to what Bellion can do."
John scratched at his hair, staring as the battle unfolded. "…I don't even know how to comment on this.."
Etrigan's red eyes blazed, and he shouted, rhyming and roaring in equal measure while hellfire covered his entire body.
"Come forth, shadowed wretch,
And face the wrath I fetch!"
/-\
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