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Banishing
Lust the Webweaver of the Sons of Trigon wandered down an alleyway in Warren Spencer's body. He had a meeting scheduled with an 'informant' in the underworld (actually one of Greed's less-creative servants) and was ready to jump to a new vessel. With luck, Greed's forces (but not Greed himself; he needed to stay incognito) would push the Justice League away long enough for him to rush to an infernal shrine and cleanse himself of Constantine's tracker spell.
His phone pinged with a message from Sloth. Both sides are in position .
He walked into the alleyway. As the Justice League surrounded him, gunfire erupted. One was rapid-fire and wasn't the sound of the snipers or the goons he'd expected. The sound of blades and strength smacking people around was also not expected.
Suddenly, there was a blur of red, and he was in the middle of a pentagram. He leapt out of Warren Spencer into his new, temporary, body. There was another blur of motion, and this pentagram had lit candles at the points.
Pride, Constantine, Etrigan, Zatanna, and Shazam stood at all the points. "Blending spell, mate," Constantine laughed. "This is it."
"You're not the only one who can have agents in place in advance." Pride's voice was as cold as ice.
The five of them chanted in languages Lust barely knew. But he recognized a banishing spell when he saw one, even without forewarning.
Well. It wasn't optimal, but Greed and Sloth could bring him back. It would be a tedious wait, but banishment was not the near-destruction of Wrath and Envy.
The banishment proceeded boringly as Flash explained to Spencer what they were doing.
Back in Father's domain, Lust turned to speak with Envy. "Your attack really spurred them to action."
"We still accomplished our primary objective. Father is free. This was just having fun getting around to our secondary goal."
Lust shrugged. "If our brothers don't bring me back, then I'll return with you when Father can invade."
Envy smiled. "I'll bring the chaos, and I'll bring the pain."
"Of the webs I spin, they shall be her chains."
____________________
Nyx watched as three figures emerged, dragging a few warriors of the underworld with them. She recognized Deadshot from the Brother Blood incident, but didn't know the other two. "Friends of yours, John?"
One of the figures was a tall woman clad in brilliant armor. She was armed with a sword and shield. The other was short with a quasi-stocky build. She had two pairs of claws on her hands with an origin that Nyx couldn't tell in the current lighting.
She recognized them from the Justice League databases. Knockout and Scandal Savage.
"We owed him a debt," Scandal Savage answered.
"And now it's paid," John answered. Then he turned to Nyx. "I promised them time to leave the city before we remember any warrants on them."
Nyx nodded. "I agree that this was far more important."
The Barb of Sloth twisted, but they'd helped John per a deal, and John was bound to her by a pair of Contracts. The twisting was thus painless this time, and it only reminded her of the terms.
Nyx turned to Deadshot. "Hello."
Deadshot stayed alert. "Hello, Raven. Or, Nyx now?"
"Yes."
Nyx remained alert, too. Deadshot turned to John Constantine.
John pulled out a phone. "I'm transferring your fee now."
Deadshot looked at his phone, nodded, and left.
When he was out of earshot, Nyx slipped back into being Raven. "So, you like hiring villains, John?"
"Wouldn't matter as much if they failed. Also, you, Z, and Etrigan weren't villains when we took on Nergal."
Raven frowned in disgust. She suspected memories of Nergal's domain would haunt her forever. "How'd you get them to help?"
John smiled. "I did some work with Deadshot before, for Waller, soon after a Belle Reve breakout. She lost a lot of deniable assets and turned to me for some work. Deadshot's a mercenary, so I just paid him. While on that mission, I met Knockout and Scandal. Knockout took some nasty injuries, so I invoked one of my Contracts with you for the power to heal her. So, they both owed me a favor. Easy enough."
Raven raised an eyebrow.
"What's it?"
"The Beelzebub contract? Maybe you should be using my healing powers on the side, too."
Raven felt as John considered that.
"Much lower risk of failure," Raven added.
The silence lasted a while.
Zatanna cut in, "We only banished him. He can be summoned back."
"I'll keep an eye out, luv," John answered.
Raven could only hope he'd stay banished for a while. Then she felt Shazam's thoughts coalesce on a decision. "It would be better to keep an eye on the other one we know about for now and banish the rest. The Hydra may always grow back its heads, but if we cut them all off, we can bury the immortal last head and hope it stays buried."
There was no doubt in Raven's mind who the immortal head was.
Etrigan smiled. "To cast down my Uncles, I too would rather, and then bury in a pentacle, my dreaded Grandfather."
____________________
Lust looked over Father's minions and selected the ones he thought would best suit his return. It was time to get serious. He'd need a balance of forces for this. To keep the Justice League too busy to banish him, he'd need a bunch of brutes and beasts to set on tasks all over multiple cities. Some slightly more intelligent of his kin could coordinate the attacks. A few elites could guard him while he manipulated the factions into fighting each other. Gluttony and Greed could lead their teams against each other. Sloth would have to say he hadn't had time to investigate rumors... or he could have a bunch of fake reports ready to send to Sloth so he could honestly bog down Batman in irrelevant issues.
He had no illusions about that. After Pride, Batman was the biggest threat. He was the best planner the League had. Then Constantine; he knew too much about demons.
Returning
Damian sat across the dinner table from Raven, who was in her incognito.
"Rachel, can you tell how it went?"
"We managed," she answered. "But there's still a few more problems. John thinks we have a lead on another problem."
John, as in Constantine.
"Not what I meant. We're not here to talk shop. I meant that big test."
"Oh. It went well. How was yours?"
"The same. I noticed that when it's your turn to choose where to eat, you always pick a place with lots of vegetarian options."
Raven laughed. "So do you."
"I had a tour of a meat processing facility."
"And I respect that you don't eat meat. I learned how to find restaurants with both options, between Dad being vegetarian and Mom not." Raven considered, then continued, "Did you have plans for the Spring Break?"
Damian looked around and tapped his forehead for Raven to read his thoughts.
"Nothing certain." I'm heading back to the Titans for the week. We're dropping the 'Teen' from 'Teen Titans' because most of the group is older now.
So I heard. "Well, I'm heading over to Smallville to visit Dad's parents. I'd like to see what my little foster brother has been up to lately."
"Connoe?"
"Well, Mom said there's a second sibling on the way, but it's too early to know if it's a boy or girl. For now Conner is my only brother."
Damian made a hmm! noise. He wasn't that surprised, but it wasn't for Raven to hear. It was for anyone paying attention to them at that moment.
"It'll be a break from my roommate, too. I'm fine with Sarah, but that new Nyx plushie her parents got for her... I wish I knew what possessed Nyx to make them talk ."
Damian smirked. "I couldn't say, but didn't you dye your hair to match that mostly-blue with red ends? Your dorm isn't the only one. One of my dorm-mates has a copy of Demon's Progress framed."
For half a second, Raven blushed. Then they sat and ate in silence for a while, merely enjoying each other's company.
Raven broke the silence, "I'm still surprised your father keeps you in the regular dormitories instead of renting an apartment for you. You mentioned socializing, and I understand it, but it feels odd."
Damian considered how much Justice League merchandise sold for as well as Raven's weekend rates for healing the embarrassing-but-not-deadly diseases. "Aren't you rich, too? Why don't you get an apartment?"
"Why Damian, are you prompting me for an ...invitation?"
Damian smiled at her coy tone.
Raven added, "Actually, I am getting an apartment starting this summer."
Damian glanced around to be certain they weren't being listened to. "But the Barbs are still a problem."
"Unfortunately, yes."
A while later, they went on patrol together as Robin and Nyx.
"Our destiny," Robin noted. "I hope these patrols continue."
Nyx giggled. "Two teams, one patrol. A Titan and a Leaguer."
They heard sires and went a few streets over, only to see Father in the Batwin, chasing some criminals on the ground.
Nyx pulled out her phone. "Last time, your father said to call ahead."
Robin laughed. "I heard about that. He likes your help more than Hal's."
____________________
Greed looked between the cultists and placed some diagrams on the table. "The Holy Child, Pride as she is also known, will see the light, but we need your help. Only someone mortal enough can perform the ritual. This body is presently a mere vessel for me, so I'm ...disqualified. Your predecessors performed this ritual once already, to call forth Trigon. You may call me Greed, a brother of Pride."
Father's mortal servants listened to his every word with bated breaths.
"We are not summoning my Father, Trigon. We are not summoning Pride, for she is already on Earth. We are summoning two of my brothers, Envy and Wrath. They have been grievously weakened, but Envy is still functional. Both will need a severe addition to their essences to be able to act, but that's my responsibility."
There was only a small spark of joy in commanding them. They were all too ready to serve. There was no oppression to be had.
But he could return to that later. For now, there was bringing the others back.
If Pride would neigher rejoin nor take power, then it was up to the Sons of Trigon to do so. It would be best if he did not take power immediately. Lust and Envy would be potent obstacles; it would be better to usurp Trigon, install one of them, then let the other fight it out with him and take over while they were both weakened.
He watched as the cultists looked over the diagrams, planning how to implement them.
One cultist seemed less enthusiastic. He'd have to take care of her later. But he had to leave to plan the distraction for Gluttony to fight.
____________________
Gluttony downed the bottle of wine in five gulps, then turned to the Elite. As far as he could tell, they had no idea he was possessing Hat. The League, on the other hand... Lust's fate so soon after having a tracker spell put on him showed Gluttony would come under attack soon. It was now or never.
Then Greed's message arrived. He grabbed a remote and flipped 'randomly' through channels until he got a news station covering Greed's distraction.
"This looks interesting," he called while conjuring a glass of wine from his hat and downing it in one gulp. He carefully kept Hat's voice laconic, despite his own desires
The mission had priority, until he could take over. With Father on Apokolips and Pride not returning to the fold, this was an opportunity to take power. He only needed time to get into position to get Hell on his side, and a success here would help with that. Then he'd be able to cast down both Father, Pride, and the other five of the Sins.
The others would all do the same to him, if they could.
It took Manchester all of ten seconds to call for them to move out. Gluttony followed as laconically as he could, and prepared to pull a few dragon spirits out of Hat's hat.
They arrived soon after the League had done the same. Killer Frost was holding off Superman with some Kryptonite while doing all she could to keep Wonder Woman away from her.
Robin was harrying Frost's goons while Batman took down Greed's minions in the League of Assassins. The two of them seemed to be acting as a team and roughly treating their foes as the same team, meaning Robin was likely here on account of Batman rather than Pride, or Robin would be working with Pride.
Considering Pride, Gluttony saw she was mostly dodging Greed's host, Deathstroke. She was definitely on the defense. Was she trying to tire him out? Deathstroke was enhanced by the Lazarus Pits; he wouldn't tire nearly as fast as Pride would. For some reason, she didn't intercept any of his strikes, not even deflecting his swords with her Ebon-Sword. With Envy down, she didn't need it to prove her identity, but she hadn't even drawn it.
Pam sent out a pair of her serpents as Gluttony tapped Hat's magic to summon an ice dragon. Everyone expected the Elite to play rough. Coldcast seemed to be holding back as his blasts only knocked the goons back. Was he going soft?
"Hey, we were in town and thought we heard something!" Gluttony called in his best imitation of Hat's style. He seemed pinned between laconic, lazy, and somewhat bombastic.
As the ice dragon swooped in to knock aside the goons (a pity that they wouldn't outright kill more than the leaders -- Gluttony wanted to feast on death) as Manchester telekinetically flung Frost away from Superman. Then, they heard a shout of pain.
A spray of blood covered an invisible woman behind Frost, and Pride became visible, her robe and the Ebon-Sword stained with blood. Frost's injury was only a flesh wound, at least.
Pride hadn't been fighting Greed at all; she'd learned to use illusions and she had been out-maneuvering them. Proving again that she was worthy of her name when she wanted to be. Gluttony looked at Manchester and nudged his desires towards excess. As he did so, Pride dodged back, eyes searching.
Manchester made a crushing motion and Frost screamed. Gluttony summoned a squad of terracotta soldiers to push the goons away, and hopefully Batman and Robin with them. They were unfortunate distractions, a distraction for the masses, not a proper indulgence for any of the truly powerful.
Then Gluttony gestured to Greed, and Greed nodded. His Deathstroke host charged at Pride, who was reeling from having hurt Frost so much. She'd have to be... re-trained in being a demon, though if she wasn't, then perhaps it was an opportunity for him to feast on everyone's powers and become the new greatest demon of all.
Gluttony stood on alert as Greed flung his host's body at Pride. The real Pride; not her illusion. Pride was skilled, but even running on Greed's untrained instincts, Deathstroke's skill and strength were far greater.
But without Killer Frost holding up the Kryptonite, Wonder Woman was free to let Superman recover, and joined in. Just as Greed was attacking Pride's weakness, Wonder Woman brought her strength to bear on Greed.
Gluttony-as-Hat conjured a demon of life to heal Frost as Greed darted back from Wonder Woman, knocked the Ebon-Sword into position and let himself get knocked onto the sword.
Pride dropped the Ebon-Sword and Greed quietly jumped back to Frost, where he'd been for a while before switching to Deathstroke.
Pride quickly put her hands on Deathstroke's wounds and began her chant, "Azarath, Met--"
'Killer Frost' blasted her with ice. Greed tried to hold up the Kryptonite again, but a Batarang knocked it away. Batman and Robin had finished with the goons.
So be it.
Gluttony nodded to Greed. It was time for Greed to retreat.
Gluttony called more terracotta soldiers to quarantine the area, but they conveniently 'missed' Greed escaping.
Manchester held out his hand, power flowing from him. Gluttony still needed Greed, but Deathstroke wasn't his vessel anymore.
"You're buggered, mate."
Superman rushed at Manchester as Deathstroke died. Gluttony fed on the death and the splatter. So much... everything!
Gluttony watched in amusement as the Justice League members argued with Pam and Manchester. For some reason, Coldcast seemed disturbed. Gluttony took a flying step back and let it unfold.
He had a cult ready to summon Lust again.
____________________
Greed approached the cult in his new old body. It had been too long since he wore Killer Frost. Father's followers didn't recognize Frost, but that was easily remedied by reciting a few secret conversations to the leaders.
"Tomorrow," he announced. "Tomorrow, we summon the Webweaver to bring the Holy Child back into the fold."
As he left, he looked up and saw a darting shadow. He could feel his emotions surging. He had done a very good-- "Pride," he hissed. She was watching him.
Then, Pride spoke from behind him. "We wondered who you jumped to. It makes sense,"
Greed whirled around, but only saw Pride's portal closing behind her.
He turned back to the headquarters. That cultist who'd been unenthusiastic before would make
____________________
Nyx turned to Batman. "I've been with Robin a lot and I still didn't see it when you placed the tracer. Tomorrow, then?"
Batman growled in an affirmative.
"Just remember to stay out of any summoning circles. I'm immune because I count as a stronger demon, but no one else does."
Damian looked at her. "Don't you regularly shield us?"
Nyx nodded. "I've been protecting the league from hostile takeovers. Going into the circle would break my protection. It would be inviting him in."
"Perhaps we should get Etrigan to help."
Nyx smiled. "I'm not sure if he's stronger than my brothers, but he's certainly powerful, and elder to them. I'd need John or Zatanna to help, but a power-boosting spell would solve that concern."
____________________
Lust felt the ritual calling him. Father's cult had found a vessel for him. He answered the call to return to the mortal world.
He found himself surrounded by chaos.
The Vessel of the Webweaver
Leslie Hill lay in the summoning circle, chained to the ground. Why had Greed picked them? It hadn't even looked like a debate to him. Leslie tried to curl up in terror. The new demon was going to take away their very self .
They said, 'temporarily suppress,' but they knew the others were lying.
The ritual continued with the others chanting. In the breaks between the ritual chanting, Leslie could hear the woman who claimed to be Greed's new vessel talking to their leader, Brother of Darkness.
No one knew what his name really was, and no one cared.
He was the leader.
"I saw her resisting my words," Greed said. "She has to go."
Brother of Darkness nodded. "I agree."
Were they unworthy? Is that why the Holy Child had turned Leslie away years ago?
The chants resumed.
Leslie had helped set the rituals in place; it was clear when they were reaching the finale. Suddenly, the wall burst in. A demon with fire sizzling in his mouth and a great blade in his hand charged into the sanctum.
"Etrigan the Slayer is here, and it's time for Greed to learn fear! By my breath, I break this haven, and aid my aunt Raven!" Fire shot from his mouth and set either their implements alight or else melted them.
Leslie felt someone pushing, saw the Holy Child's portal of darkness, and then saw what looked like a police station. A couple officers rushed to untie the ropes while a couple others drew batons. How had the Holy Child turned them away years ago, only to save Leslie now? And hadn't that 'Etrigan' demon referred to the Holy Child as his aunt? They were taking sides against the Brotherhood. Was it... that the others were the unworthy ones?
____________________
As far as summonings went, this was superb. True, Lust's vessel had been removed before he could possess them and true, he couldn't interfere unless the cult rustled up a valid host for him, but the chaos was so entertaining. So delicious .
Pride was in the back lines of the cult, using her mind powers to force the cultists to sleep. She was cloaked in enough shadow to be almost invisible this time. Big nephew Etrigan was smacking around Greed while Batman thrashed the cultists. That left Robin and ...Flash? Not Superman or Wonder Woman? Okay.
That left Robin and Flash on guard and cleanup duty. Then even more of Greed's underworld goons moved in to attack, probably from adjacent buildings.
Eventually, one of the cultists fell across the summoning circle. He wasn't a fit vessel, but it let Lust out into the world again.
Lust fled as the cult fell. He had a web of lies and alliances to rebuild.
To his dismay, he found that Livewire was shielded. Less to his dismay, he found another media personality to possess.
It was time to get to work sowing distrust.
____________________
Etrigan looked over the fallen cult, no one was left able to bolt. "I confess, my Aunt / the skill of the cult is gaunt."
Raven nodded as she plodded. Rhymes from her were promised for a while, from her look at him turning to a smile. "If they would act in my name then I would rather / that they not seek orders from my dark Father."
Robin added, "May this be the last time." In this time, his lack of verse felt like a crime.
"Join us in adding a rhyme."
Batman stared at him with a flat look, and his voice no humor would brook. "Now by my behest / they're all under arrest."
At these compliant words, Etrigan laughed. At Batman's intentions, his intuition had gaffed.
____________________
Raven walked over to the police station, and not as Nyx. She wanted to clear her head before talking to the ...person. They were the same cultist who'd approached her years ago.
She tried not to be afraid of how Lust had returned and fled, but was still on Earth again. The cult wouldn't bring him back next time, but he was no longer under John's tracker spell.
Raven also tried to ignore how Damian -- Robin, he'd still be in-costume and in-character -- was following her. She supposed that she'd make a good stalking horse if there was any more trouble.
But she doubted it.
She reached the station. "I'd like to inquire if someone suddenly appeared here through a dark portal about an hour ago, bound and gagged?"
One of the officers was on high alert. "Identification?" she asked.
Raven pulled out the Justice League card identifying her as Raven, aka Nyx. "Is this sufficient?"
The officer narrowed her eyes. "Wouldn't you know? Your portal would have sent her."
"It was hectic. I'm not sure I targeted the right location."
"She's here," the officer at the desk answered. "She's giving a deposition now."
Raven reminded herself that the Empath's Code, the one she'd helped write (enough to be listed as an advisor), forbade outing anyone's gender identity or sexuality. "When can I see her?"
"I'll check," the officer who'd asked for her ID answered.
The desk guard sighed. He turned to Raven. "I need to check you in. All IDs."
Raven produced her Justice League ID, Delaware Driver's License, and Gotham University, New Jersey student ID. The officer did a double-take at reading her legal name. Raven pointed at her official 'middle' name. After Azarath, she had trouble accepting that there were so many people on Earth that they needed last names, much less middle names.
Raven was just as irritated by secret identities and was willing to hope the guard would be quick on the uptake. She wasn't about to duck out on required identification.
"Just... you can wait in those chairs there, Miss Raven."
Raven turned and sat.
A couple minutes later, the first officer returned. "The detective estimates half an hour."
"Probably longer," Raven sighed as an wagon entirely filled with cultists arrived, each being dragged to a holding cell.
Robin entered soon after and presented his Titans ID for the guard. He turned to Raven. "Are you all right?"
"Just... needed to clear my head. I want to speak with their intended sacrifice."
Robin stood in silence.
They didn't need any more words.
Eventually, the officers called for Raven to speak with the (hopefully now 'ex") cultist.