96 Exorcism

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(General P.O.V)

Superman touched down first, the rest following close on Green Lantern's will construct. 

"Flash, what did you find out? You didn't say much through the comms."

Superman asked, stepping closer to the Speedster who would alternate between looking at them and at the entrance to the path leading to the shrine. The shrine he had been unceremoniously kicked out of by a living vine monster. A path that had been promptly blocked and covered by a wall of vines with sharp and pointy thorns along their lengths. It was clear to anyone that none of them were welcome inside.

"I…so here's the thing…there is a green guy with red eyes and an attitude worse than Bats over here. Seriously, this plant guy takes grouchy to another level…"

The Flash started talking quickly without actually saying anything.

"Flash, what are you talking about?"

The Batman cut him off impatiently. Looking over to the faces of his colleagues, Barry felt a little embarrassed. He cleared his throat and pointed behind him, at the wall of vines blocking the path to the shrine. 

"There is…and I kid you not, a plant guy protecting a…garden of some sort that way. I had to get out of there quickly before he could turn me into a pin cushion. Seriously, the hospitality in this place…" Barry sighed, "Someone's not getting 5 stars."

He added the last part quietly.

Seeing attention get thrown towards them, the two warriors guarding the path tensed, they glanced at each other and brandished their spears, pointing them at the League in anger and determination. Something had happened. The outsiders had clearly broken the rules and their trust! The nimble man covered in yellow light had ran out through the entrance to the Shrine. The path leading to the sacred grounds had then been blocked by vines, behind him. No doubt the work of the ancestors. They were making a clear statement. These Outsiders needed to leave. 

Batman narrowed his eyes at their stances. Just before he could address them in Swahili they froze in place as the Martian Manhunter made an appearance. J'onn's hazy form grew corporeal through the walls of one of the huts facing the path to the Shrine.

"J'onn…"

Wonder Woman muttered in surprise.

"That was...fast. Is the team okay?"

The Martian merely nodded without answering and inclined his head towards the wall of vines.

"The ancient Martian archives speak of beings tasked with being the voice, face and hand to each of the elemental parliaments. A link between Sapient creatures and the building blocks of all existence."

The Martian flew forward and stopped between The League members gathered and the wall of vines. 

"It is an honor to make you acquittance, champion of the green."

A brief silence dominated the area. That silence was broken by a deep rumbling from the ground. It cracked apart, vomiting out vines with a darker shade of green, that formed up into the shape of a huge man with red eyes.

"See… wasn't lying…"

The Speedster gulped, backtracking. While Barry had seen magic and mystic anomalies of all kinds and in addition, didn't struggle to believe in it like his nephew, he was in essence, still a scientist at heart and mind. There was no way something like this should exist. A control mechanism acting as the inner core, holding the vines together through science, he might have believed. He could even think of a dozen ways that could happen. But the problem was…the visual scanner implanted in his suit, didn't show anything like that. In fact it didn't show anything! Just a walking, talking mass of sentient vines!

"Humans…leave this place. None of you are welcome."

The deep gravely voice that rang out of the creature's mouth sent warning bells ringing for everybody. The league tensed.

"Why do all bad guys sound like they just came from a hard metal concert where they were the lead singer?"

The Flash commented.

"Everybody stand down. This is not an enemy."

J'onn cautioned then turned to address Swamp Thing.

"We mean you and nature no harm. My companions and I are part of a global team tasked with protecting the planet from threats both external and internal that the normal law enforce cannot handle. We are the…"

"Justice League."

Swamp Thing cut in, surprising the Leaguers present.

"You know of us?"

Superman asked.

"I was once…human." Another bomb was dropped. Fortunately, the earlier hostility had faded away.

"I sense no falsehoods in you, for humans. Not to mention you…"he pointed at Captain Atom, "have a garden. It's decided. I will answer any questions you have."

"I only want to know one thing…Where is Connor!"

A loud psychic communication emanated from a figure that had emerged from the bio-ship. Miss Martian's eyes were glowing green and the look on her face…was a split between worry, sadness and rage.

(General P.O.V) (L.A, Lucifer's Penthouse)

The light of a boom tube appeared suddenly and without any warning. The two blondes on Lucifer's sides screamed out in fear, backing away to the edges of the couch, while using their clothes to cover their assets. Lucifer sighed in annoyance.

Aden stepped out of the Boom tube with something or rather someone on his shoulders and looked around. Instantly, his face got a little flushed in embarrassment.

Lucifer's eyes widened minutely before his face settled into it's usual relaxed state.

"You couldn't wait for two hours?"

Lucifer asked him with a raised eyebrow. Aden scratched his head, wanting to be anywhere other than there.

"Sorry. I had no idea you were pre-occupied with something. Two at that."  Aden quipped. Unsure of what else to do after cock blocking the devil. 

Lucifer glanced at his companions and addressed them.

"Excuse me loves, I have something I need to take care of and then we can resume our…activities with no further interruptions." The women squealed in happiness and infatuation as Lucifer's voice oozed with charm. He could have told them to jump off a cliff and they would have done it, no questions asked. 

"Right then, let's get this over with."

Aden blinked his eyes and instantly found his surroundings had changed. 

"Yo bro what the fuck!"

He backed off suddenly. His eyes were focused on Lucifer in wariness. He'd barely felt the transition! A flex of his shoulders and black as night wings appeared behind the former Archangel's back. The wings seemed to swallow all the light away. Lucifer held Connor by his neck. He placed his finger on the Kryptonian's head and pulled.

A shrieking being made entirely of black mist was forcefully exorcised from Superboy's body. Terrified wails escaped the demon. Words of plea and mercy that Aden couldn't understand were said by Mammon in Hellspeak. A being who had caused Aden problems just earlier. Mammon shrunk away, trying to escape Lucifer's hands only to fail. Lucifer's smile widened as he clenched his fingers, holding on to the demon lord tightly and then…threw him through the bubble shield separating Aden, Connor and him from what was outside.

"Don't stare through the barrier…oh you already did."

Lucifer's warning came too late.

Billions and billions of souls getting burnt and crying out for…help! Mercy! HELP US! SAVE US!!!!! JUST A DROP OF WATER!!!! BuRnS WoNT StOP!!! WONT STOP!!! ETERNAL DAMNNNNAAATION!!!!"

There was a finger snap and Aden found himself back on the floor of the Penthouse, breathing heavily. He wiped the sweat on his eyebrow and placed a hand on his chest to calm his wildly racing heart. What the fuck was that? All those people…not only people but creatures as well… All calling for help. A cacophony of sound that broke through the layers of even his inexperienced telepathic awareness due to the sheer force of emotional, spiritual and mental anguish.

He heard a liquid of some sort get poured in a glass and a second later, a cold glass of water was placed in his shaking hands. Aden brought the glass over to his lips and downed the whole thing like a man dying of thirst. Lucifer didn't stop him, content to watch him with an undecipherable look on his face. Once he was done, Aden took a deep shuddering breath and got up shakily. 

"What…what was that place?"

Even as he asked that question, he already knew the answer.

Lucifer took a sip of his own glass of water. 

"The lowest pits of hell. Where the worst of the worst or rather those who piss me off, take a time out."

He explained but this time, the usual cheer and easy going mindset he usually had was nowhere to be seen. Aden gulped as he felt a chill grip his heart. 

"Take a seat. We need to talk."

Lucifer ordered, his robe shifting into a white suit that seemed to glow even in the light. Aden complied. He had always known that this being was dangerous just by virtue of being the second most powerful existence in all of creation. But sitting before him, recalling what had just occurred, Aden got to experience first hand what being prey felt like and it strengthened his resolve to get even more powerful.

"You did something you shouldn't be capable of. Mammon is a demon Lord." Despite saying that the devil rolled his eyes in mockery. "Unbelievably weak but he would have given Maze a good fight. Of course he'd lose but that's not the point."

He sat on the table before the couch and fixed him with an intense stare.

"The point is… you were not supposed to take him out that easily. I had foreseen it. You would have made it back with a broken arm, no left leg and a cracked sternum. You truly are an enigma Aden. " 

Aden was shocked to the core. He shook his head. Lucifer didn't lie…but still.

"It was anything but easy. He was strong. The only reason I made it out alive was because he underestimated me and I was able to hit him with an attack, powerful enough to take out his vessel. If the fight had gone on for long, a broken arm, no left leg and shattered sternum would have been the least of my worries."

"Mmmh… You still don't get it. You changed your own fate. Something that should not have happened. Make me wonder if I've been stunting your growth..."

Lucifer said in thought.

"What do you mean?"

The young Avatar questioned. Lucifer contemplated answering and shrugged. Things had already gotten to this stage so he didn't see the benefit in keeping quiet.

"I've been shielding you. Forces at play seek to…use you. Condemning you to a fate worse than death."

Lucifer told him.

"And before you say anything else, I am not your bodyguard. This is supposed to be my vacation. I can't enjoy my vacation if I'm constantly watching you. Not anymore at least."

Aden gripped the edge of his seat tightly. He'd suspected it. DC was a world of bullshit magical powers and Evil mystical assholes like Klarion seeking to do chaos… someone must have noticed the power he could throw around. Especially after his fight with the league. Someone must have seen it and thought he would make the perfect weapon.

"So here's the deal. My protection ends after the next two missions. When that is done…" Lucifer's face turned grave. "You're on your own." 

Aden gulped. Alone. Alone against whatever was out there…

"Why?"

He croaked out. His question made Lucifer chuckle.

"Why? Have you not been listening?! You changed the outcome of something I had foreseen as absolute. That means any of the horrible shit that is supposed to happen to you might not. Depends on your own will to live and be free, really. So no pressure. And that means… Great entertainment value! No more spoilers for me."

The Devil smiled widely. "I believe…your full potential is exposed when you have nothing and no one else to fall upon except for yourself, Aden. That is where your true strength lies. You have shown it…now it's time to live up to it."