The Protagonist System

256 They Will Come

I had just returned to my trailer for some much needed rest after updating the wards on my property when a swirling golden portal appeared on the living room wall and Doctor Fate floated out.@@novelbin@@

“I can tell this is a serious matter already.” I said and she paused her floating to tilt her head at me. “You didn't introduce yourself flamboyantly and the golden parts of your costume aren't glittering or glowing like usual to draw attention.”

Doctor Fate landed and nodded. “I detected someone using a source book of evil to access one of the closer hell dimensions through one of the ley line connections you told me about that exists in New York.”

I stood up straight at that statement. “What escaped?”

“I handled several demonic spirits and imps that fled through the surprisingly large opening when it appeared. They were small fry, as the saying goes, and easily dealt with. However, I was too late to stop the two people that stepped through and closed it behind them.” Doctor Fate said.

“You saw them or know who did by their magical signature?” I asked.

“Yes, and this world is in trouble if the Agent of Chaos I detected manages to release something else from that dimension while near that infernal book.” Doctor Fate answered, her voice angry.

“Klarion the Witch Boy?” I asked and she shook her head.

“He is a Lord of Chaos, not just an agent. He is also a pain in the ass and so childish that I have no patience for his antics.” Doctor Fate said, matter of factly, and I nodded. He really was quite annoying.

“Then who?” I asked.

“John Constantine.” Doctor Fate said and her voice was resigned.

“Oh.” I said and crossed my arms. “That... changes a few things.”

Doctor Fate nodded and walked over to me to place her hands on my chest. “I normally wouldn't ask for help, since it has always been my sole duty to protect this world from demonic threats...”

I had to smile at that. “My stories about your counterpart let you see how important it is to have someone around to have your back when you need it.”

“She was still the leader and also had disciples to share the load with.” Doctor Fate agreed. “I won't ask you to become my agent or disciple; but, I know you are knowledgeable and can handle yourself. With you along, I won't have to worry too much about anything sneaking up on me and taking advantage of whatever John and his client are doing.”

“Who is his client?” I asked, just so I wasn't left ignorant.

“You met her briefly only recently, Zatanna Zatara.” Doctor Fate answered.

I huffed. “She's going after her father, even though she knows he deserves to be there after making a pact with one of the major demons and then entered their realm, accident or not.”

“I didn't realize she could be that foolish, even after all her time training at Magik University and all the warnings she has been given by the faculty and the headmasters.” Doctor Fate commented and nodded slightly. “That explains how John found and gained access to the Darkhold, if the Zatara Family has been guarding it.”

I hid my surprise that was the book she meant, because it was supposed to become Wanda Maximoff's tome of chaos magic. Oh. That might explain why she was more than a little unhinged later in life, if she learned from an infernal tome. The corrupting magic would have twisted her thinking from the very first moment she started reading from it and would have built up to full insanity after a few years.

“What do you want to do?” I asked. “You're the expert here.”

Doctor Fate patted my chest. “I'll use one of the forbidden spells to create a dimensional breach, fight off anything that tries to surge through, then we will enter that realm to hunt down and bring back those two morons.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “I don't think we need to go to that extreme, especially if something is waiting over there for you to do exactly that.”

“Then what would you suggest?” Doctor Fate asked.

“Give me a few minutes.” I said and closed my eyes. I felt her move her hands along my chest and she caressed my sides. “No distractions, please.”

Doctor Fate let out a little laugh and let me go.

I concentrated on Zatanna, since I knew her magical signature, and let my clairvoyance power search her out. When I found her, I chuckled.

“What is it?” Doctor Fate asked.

“What's your view on letting Zatanna suffer for a few minutes under the care of a dimensional barrier tentacle monster? Constantine's having no luck stopping the thing from molesting her.”

Doctor Fate chuckled, too. “As long as the thing doesn't violate her, a little pawing might discourage the stupid girl from repeating her mistakes in the future.”

“That's a good point.” I said and then smiled. “Do you want to watch as well?”

“Why not? I haven't had a good laugh since the last time we talked.” Doctor Fate said and slipped off her glove and rested her hand on the side of my neck.

We both watched for about ten minutes while Zatanna was completely mauled, drooled over, and given a few experimental pokes on her clothing in certain spots that made her moan and groan. We softly chuckled the entire time because Constantine kept failing to free her, no matter what he tried.

“Her magical clothing is holding up quite well to such an assault.” Doctor Fate commented. “The ectoplasmic slime should have weakened the enchantments after such rough handling.”

“Constantine's coat is doing good as well. His shirt and pants? Not so much.” I joked and she chuckled at seeing John holding his trenchcoat closed over his nearly naked form with one hand and trying to cast spells with the other. “Is that long enough for them to suffer, do you think?”

“Yes, her fishnets are starting to tear. She doesn't have much time or dignity left before things go too far.” Doctor Fate said.

“Then prepare yourself for insertion.” I said suggestively and she softly laughed.

“I'd say behave, except I don't want you to.” Doctor Fate said and held onto me. “I have a Light beam spell ready to cast and scare off the creature.”

“It'll be exactly where we can see it when I step.” I cautioned her and changed myself into my Atlas persona.

“I can aim and start casting first? You really are handy to have around.” Doctor Fate said and started chanting.

I felt the spell build up and I stepped into the vision as soon as the magic reached the point where it had to be released. Doctor Fate held her palm out and a giant Ankh formed in front of us and a bright beam of Light energy seared across the reddish hellscape and covered Constantine, Zatanna, and the entirety of the tentacle monster.

“IRRRREEEEEEE!” The creature screamed as its large multiple eyes were blinded. It released its hostage and it squeezed through a dimensional tear and fled. The beam of light seared away anything else from escaping before the tear closed and disappeared.

When the light faded, Doctor Fate and I walked over to where John Constantine had caught Zatanna in his arms when she had been thrown. I would have done that if I thought she might have been hurt by the fall.

“Foolish children stumbling in the dark.” Doctor Fate said and tried to reach for the book on the ground, only for it to cover itself in a layer of reddish-black energy and she hissed and pulled her hand back. “Don't be finicky, you stupid book. We both know I cannot destroy you without consequences.”

The glow didn't fade and Doctor Fate sighed.

“I need the book to find my father!” Zatanna exclaimed and tried to push Constantine away and lunged for the book.

Just as the reddish-black glow faded to allow her to pick it up, I moved instantly and ppicked it up myself. I felt the evil energy try to flow over and into me, which it couldn't do, thanks to my various powers, magic affinities, and my perk Mind Blank.

“Doctor Fate is the only one not allowed to do anything to you.” I told the book and pulled it into my inventory.

Doctor Fate, Zatanna, and Constantine gasped when the book, and the background evil feeling it was emitting, disappeared. I enjoyed their shocked faces as the world greyed out and I read the popup that appeared.

A Dimensional Anchor, the Darkhold Tome, has been acquired.
Please choose what you would like to do with it.

Absorb its magical energies and combine them with your own. Warning: Mind blank only blocks mental influences and won't stop evil or caustic energies from altering your physical body.
Attempt to absorb just the knowledge. Warning: Willingly acquired corrupted knowledge can bypass Mind Blank and alter your perceptions of right and wrong.
Sell the Anchor to the System (200,000 Karma Points)

Sacrifice the Anchor and alter an aspect of the Karma Points system.

Definitely the last one! I mentally shouted. Yes, yes, yes! Remove the automatic absorption of Karmic Debt from the people I kill and make it a choice instead!

Dimensional Anchor sacrificed.
The power of 'The Protagonist's Choice' has been returned to you.

I sighed with relief as the book disappeared from my inventory and the world's color returned.

“What did you do to MY BOOK?!?” Zatanna yelled.

“What book?” I asked, cheekily.

“Atlas.” Doctor Fate said, her voice stern.

“Did you know it was a Dimensional Anchor?” I asked her and she nodded. I created a copy of the book, blank of course, and took it out of my inventory. “Well, it's not one anymore.”

Surprisingly, all three of them tried to snatch the book from my hands at the same time and they knocked it to the ground. It flopped open and showed off the old withered parchment pages that were completely blank.

Zatanna gasped and dropped to her knees as she caressed the book. “No no no.”

“It's gone?” John Constantine asked, shocked. He mumbled something and the book didn't glow or react at all. “It's really gone.”

Doctor Fate gave me a very pointed look, as if she knew what I just produced was a fake, and I nodded. I would explain what happened after we were back on Earth and away from this place. There was suddenly a rumbling sound, as if there was an earthquake, and then the ground trembled slightly.

“What's going on?” Constantine asked and looked around, not seeing anything.

“They're coming.” Doctor Fate said and took a fighting stance and two ritual circles formed around her wrists.

I recognized it as her spell-slinging fight style and knew we were in trouble, even if my danger sense wasn't tingling more than it had when we first stepped in. I glanced around and didn't see anything, then huffed at the obvious. I waved a hand and cast a powerful dispel spell and the surrounding area's background faded away.

“We are so fucked.” Constantine said and didn't bother trying to call up a spell and lit a cigarette instead. He took a long slow pull on it and blew it out.

As far as the eye could see, were demons of all shapes and sizes. The earthquake was their stampede towards us and now we were surrounded. The sky was almost blacked out with all the various flying creatures there, too.

One of the ground ones seemed to stand up on their hind legs and walked over to us with an unnatural grace. When they were close enough, their visage deformed and changed to reveal a woman that looked surprisingly familiar. Her long blonde hair was almost white and she gave me a very pointed look before she turned her attention to Doctor Fate.

“You will follow.” Clea, the niece of Dormammu and a sorceress from the Dark Dimension, ordered.

What the hell was she doing here? I asked myself and ignored the unintended pun as I glanced at Doctor Fate, whom nodded. I nodded back and waved a hand over Constantine and then Zatanna to clean them up and fixed their clothing.

Clea looked pleased for a moment, blanked her face, and turned around. The demons parted for her like the red sea did for Moses and Doctor Fate motioned for us to follow her and led the way. That explained why my danger sense wasn't blaring at me, at least. They weren't there to wipe out the invaders and kill us... yet, anyway. I just hoped it stayed that way.

*

Clea tried to keep her surging emotions in check. She didn't know why she was reacting so much to the strange man wearing the white costume and she fought hard to not look back to see if he walked as sexily as she though he would. His costume left little to the imagination and she was imagining a lot of different things that could be done if he wasn't wearing it.

Stop that, Clea! You need Doctor fate's help. She berated herself and shook those thoughts off. Lusting after a magic user wasn't part of the plan to return to her own dimension and reclaim what her family had lost. Why was he giving off just as much magic as Doctor Fate, though? Wasn't she supposed to be the supreme magic user on Earth? Who was this man that intrigued her so much?

“We have returned, Uncle.” Clea said when she entered the ruined castle they had taken over from the local demon lord named Mephisto and disposed of him. How dare he challenge the rightful ruler of the Dark Dimension?

“Welcome back, niece.” A giant floating head made of flaming hellfire said.

Clea opened her mouth to tell him to drop the theatrics and changed her mind. She knew the people she brought with her would see through the illusion easily and turned to face them. “May I present to you, Lord Dormammu, ruler of the Dark Dimension.”

“Atlas, hold my cape.” Doctor Fate said flung it at the handsome man, then she lunged through the giant flaming head and disappeared.

Spellfire and explosions started up and no one moved or spoke. The guests and the many demons and underlings under Dormammu's current rule exchanged looks and shrugged. None of them were dumb enough to try and stop the fight that was hidden by the now shimmering illusion.

“I bet ten gold coins it ends a draw.” Atlas said into the silence.

“I want twenty on at least one breast being exposed!” A brightly colored demon shouted from across the throne room.

Atlas chuckled, knowing how much Doctor Fate enjoyed both fighting and having sex. “I'll cover the bets and put another ten on both being out. She has great breasts.”

Clea was shocked when nearly everyone started shouting bets, even Constantine, and most of the demons offered contracts in lieu of gold. It was insane... and she wasn't going to pass up such easy money. “I bet ten that my uncle's coat is burned off, undershirt optional, and another ten he dents her helm at least once.”

The betting on the outcome of the fight was furious and continued on for quite some time.