CHAPTER 35

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[David Lance POV]

"Azarath metrion zinthos!"

"What…?" said the Demon, staring around in confusion. And then he breathed in uncontrolled anger. "Raven!"

Shocked by what the demon had said, I looked behind me, my heart pounding. To find Raven standing behind me, her violet-blue eyes staring at the demon, as the realization dawned on me.

Rachel.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked.

I nodded, focusing back on the demon. I would talk with her about this later. 

"Even now, you defy him?" said the Demon dangerously.

"Always," Rachel replied without a hint of hesitation in her soft-spoken tone. 

"So be it," said the Demon softly, staring at her, before raising his claws, sending a blast of energy at Rachel, who with a move of her hand enveloped us in a whirling dome of darkness, reappearing us behind the Demon.

"Hi," I whispered, taking this opportunity to attack, destroying his body once again.

"That won't keep him down," Rachel stated in a soft tone. "The avatar he's using can't be affected by physical phenomena."

I nodded, that much had been clear so far. I was simply working out my frustrations on him. ~What do we do?~

"Let me handle this," Rachel replied, advancing towards the Demon as it reformed.

"You can't avoid your destiny child!" roared the Demon in blasphemous anger, pointing at her. "You were born to serve, and serve you will!"

"I am the master of my own destiny," Raven replied calmly. 

"You think you're protecting him?! Foolish little girl… he will serve, just like you! You protect nothing!" spat the Demon, sending another blast of reddish energy at her, that Raven blocked with a blast of her own.

Rachel said nothing, her hands glowing black with a dim purple edge covering them dangerously as she aimed at him once again, sending a torrent of energy at the Demon, who dodged her attack, vanishing out of sight at the last moment.

Frowning, I started looking around. Keeping my guard up. Chances were the Demon wanted to use me as leverage in this battle, something I would not allow to happen by any means.

I might not be able to help much because of magical reasons, but be that as it may, that didn't mean I would become a liability for Rachel, who evidently was better suited to deal with this threat.

Behind!

Throwing my body to the side, feeling a slight chance of air around, I managed to scarcely dodge the Demon's attack as it appeared behind me.

"You–!" growled the Demon, being interrupted by one of Raven's attacks, blasting it to the ground. "Raven!" roared the Beast, bleeding as it got back on its feet, glaring daggers at Rachel.

All while I admired the fact her attacks were actually harming him.

Raven once again at the demon's growls and roars, said nothing, calmly floating towards him, closing their distance. 

"Defying our God is a foolish path!" roared the Demon, darting towards her on all fours, like a feral beast.

"Maybe, but it is my choice to make," Raven replied lightly, as though they were having a normal conversation. Then, before the Demon could reach her, she brought her forward, piercing the beast with a thin laser-like beam of dark energy.

Coughing blood, the Demon vanished once again, dissipating with a poof of black smoke that reformed behind her in the form of a giant two-headed snake, trying to sink its fangs into her.

Kicking the ground beneath me as hard as I could, I rushed to her side, hurling a few explosives at the beast, halting its progress. As Raven turned around, effortlessly flicking the demon high into the air with the move of her index finger, destroying its body once again, leaving nothing behind but a wisp of smoke.

Was it over?

I had no idea.

"He's still alive, and around," Raven said as if reading my thoughts. "I can't read your thoughts. You have a strong mind, but I can read your emotions, and you were feeling confused," she clarified, answering all of my current questions. 

I nodded, offering her a smile.

"Azarath metrion zinthos!" Raven muttered, bringing her hands together as if to pray, enveloping me in her energy, which now coated me with a faint purple edge. "Your attacks will affect his avatar now. "

"DIE!!!" screamed the Demon in unyielding anger, lunging at us as it reformed.

I smiled, realizing what she had done. "No," I muttered, destroying his half-reformed body, inches away before it reached us. Leaving nothing behind, but a sense of completion.

"That should keep him away for some time," Rachel said softly.

I nodded, taking her words as facts. In the world of magic, I had little clue how things operated.

~Did you like the book I gave you last time?~ I asked, trying to make small talk.

Rachel remained silent for a moment, averting her eyes from meeting mine, before giving me a soft nod. "I did."

I smiled, surveying the damage I had done to the forest before Rachel had arrived to aid me. I was truly grateful for that, without her assistance, things would've ended poorly for me.

~Thanks,~ I signed. 

Rachel once again said nothing, simply giving a small nod as she looked ahead.

To think I would meet Raven of all people.

"Black Bolt!" 

I turned around upon hearing my name, witnessing the League arrive at the scene, Superman being the one to have called my name.

Smiling, I waved at them. They had arrived a bit too late for the party, but they had arrived nevertheless, so I could at least say I could count on them to show up.

"So that's the kid?" A man with a thick British accent spoke, as he came into view. Smoking a cigar. 

There was no need for an introduction. I knew who he was. He was no other than John Constantine, the Hellblazer of England.

"Where's the enemy?" Wonder Woman was the first to ask, taking a step forward as she looked around.

"Well, love. She's standing right by his side," replied Constantine, his eyes on Rachel. "Don't try to hide it, kid. I can literally feel the evil oozing out of you."