It was a simple deal, but any magical deal had an awful price to be paid if broken by force.
"Deal, now can you tell me how you found out about my portal?"
Dio asked while picking up his glass and finishing the rest of the wine.
Dio was not really scared to find out that he had discovered this information.
There are several ways to know anything as a user of mystical arts; the issue would be different if Dio were physically monitored.
However, magic is a different story.
Constantine gave him a smug that almost made me hit him in the face before answering.
"Don't get all jumpy, mate; I'm not stalking you like one of your fans. In fact, I technically didn't know you had the portal."
Constantine began.
"Divination?"
Dio guessed and wiped the smug smile off his face.
"Let's say I was looking for a way to do something, so I invaded a cemetery and dug up a corpse to perform a little divination to show me the way, which led me here, and that's the only way I can get into a country bar. So when you walked in, I got my answer."
"How I hate him."
Robin muttered from his side while Dio nodded.
"THUD!"
The bar's double doors make noise, and John, Andrew, and the rest of the team return from their search.
"There are no signs of vampires within a five-kilometer radius."
Aqualad reported.
Constantine then took his gaze off his glass and looked at the rest of the team.
"Hell, I even smelled the stench of sulfur..."
"Shut up!"
Dio shouted telepathically at Constantine, which was enough for him to hear with his shields.
Constantine was about to tell everyone that Raven is half-demon, something she's still not comfortable sharing with everyone.
Dio swore by all the gods that he would have thrown this idiot into the underworld's fire river if he had done that.
Constantine understood the message and remained silent while sipping his drink slowly.
"Relax, buddy, your girl's secret is safe with me."
Constantine spoke telepathically.
"Why is Starfire riding a mechanical bull?"
Kid Flash asked with confusion and brought attention to the moment.
"I've already informed the authorities about the body; we can move on."
Robin reported while pushing the wine glass Dio poured for him.
"Who's the drunk?"
Speedy asked.
"Our new companion and ally,"
Dio introduced.
Constantine straightened up and placed his glass on the counter. Then, he gave an exaggerated salute to them.
"John Constantine, fourth-degree magician, at your service, at least for now."
The rest of the team waved back, but Kid was already on the mechanical bull with Starfire while watching the show.
"We have to move; Mary is already way ahead of us."
Andrew urged them, and Robin and Dio stood on the stools.
"Starfire, Kid, let's go."
Robin called them.
"What is he doing now?"
Kid Flash asked.
Constantine suddenly bends down and starts fiddling with something under the bar counter.
"What are you doing now?"
Robin asked him.
"Well, this is America, and this is an American bar, so there must be a gun around here somewhere."
Constantine replied while crouched down.
"Man, that's a bit prej..."
"Found it!"
Constantine shouted and cut off Kid Flash.
He held a double-barreled shotgun that had been cut in half and had its barrels shortened enough for him to hide it in his clothes.
"Raven, can you teleport us one more time?"
Robin chose to ignore all of this and move forward.
Raven just nodded in confirmation.
"Why don't we use one of my shortcuts? It'll save a bit of energy."
Constantine offered.
"I got this,"
Raven said.
"We've had a long journey, Raven. Let the drunk magician handle this."
Dio tried to get her to let him do it.
Dio went straight from the underworld to Gotham, where he did something for the first time.
Then they fought an army of vampires in another city, and now they're back in Gotham.
The others also came from different missions.
It's now so mentally worn out that even Raven's stubbornness wasn't enough to stop Constantine from doing his magic.
"Where do we need to go?"
Constantine asked while lighting another cigarette.
Robin gave him the address.
Constantine extended the arm holding the cigarette and waved his hand while letting some ashes fall to the ground and muttering some spells softly.
The glowing ashes on the ground changed into flames while moving on their own to create a circle of fire in the center of the bar.
"There you go; just step into the circle."
Kid Flash took a step forward, but Dio put his arm in his way.
"Why this?"
Dio asked skeptically.
"What are you talking about?"
Constantine asked while grabbing another cigarette.
"I don't know you, but from what I've heard about you and from this first encounter, you don't seem like the most helpful guy."
"I'm just fulfilling the deal we made, little guy. I help in exchange for a ride, remember?"
That's true; he has to help us against Mary, but he doesn't have to help them with everything.
Constantine didn't look into Dio's eyes, and he didn't have the power or ability to read his mind, but he did have some knowledge of portals.
Dio looked at the formation on the ground—the circle of fire had no symbols he could translate to know more details about it.
Still, a magician can judge a spell by the mana emanating from it, and everything told him that he was indeed telling the truth.
"I'll go ahead,"
Dio said this while looking at his team and stepping into the circle of flames.
It's like walking through a door; he took a step and was now in another room.
Dio was now at the park, where he and Robin ate while waiting for the rest of the team at the beginning of this mission.
There was a circle of fire on this side too, and the Titans began to appear.
A perfect portal, so perfect that no one can feel the change in space when using it—simple and perfect.
After a while
"I hate magic."
Andrew didn't seem too well after crossing the portal.
Constantine was the last to cross, and the circle of flames was extinguished when he did.
"Sorry for that demonic magic and vampires are a terrible combination."
"Where are we going?"
Aqualad asked.
"We wait."
Robin responded.
"How long?"
Kid Flash asked with impatience.
"Until Batman arrives."
"Is he going to take long?"
Starfire asked next.
"I'm already here!"
The bat emerged from a tree shaded by his long cape, which scared everyone.
"Bats, it's been a while."
Constantine greeted him.
"Constantine, are you going to behave?"
Batman asked while looking directly at him.
"The kid and I have a deal, so don't worry about me."
"It's a long story,"
Dio explained when Batman looked at him.
"Come on, let's talk about the next plan."
Batman said.
"This is a waste of time; I'm going to hunt Mary and her vampires."
Andrew said. He transformed into a bat while leaving his friend behind and flying into the night.
"Thunk!"
Batman shot his Grappling Gun to wrap it around the small bat's body and pull it down.
Before hitting the ground, Andrew changed back into a human and then into a mist.
He floated toward Batman and pushed him against a tree while holding his neck.
"What was that!?"
Andrew asked with displeasure.
"Andrew, I understand your anger, but it would be better to release him first."
John Troughton warned him.
At that moment, Andrew looked around and saw Robin lifting one of his birdarangs, Aqualad holding a water whip, Kid Flash standing there, Raven's eyes glowing, Speedy pointing an arrow at him, Starfire's hands glowing, and Dio's sword blade touching his shoulder.
Constantine drinks from an iron flask that he took out of his long jacket while everyone else is ready to attack.
"I won't allow a powerful vampire like you to fly over my city freely."
Batman said it with the firm.
Andrew let him go, and he took a step back. Dio saw Batman's hand holding a batarang that was previously aimed at his heart.
They lowered their weapons.
"Constantine!"
The shouting came from someone who was not in their group.
'What now?'
Dio looked to the left and saw a floating man heading towards him.
A ghost.
...
https://www.patreon.com/Abyssuit
If you want to support me, you can find up to 25 advance chapters at my patreon
👇DROP SOME STONES👇