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Chapter 77: Staff Of All Things IV
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"Who are you?" Right as Ian went through the portal, he found a gun pointed at his head.
Standing before him was what looked like a homeless man, in a literal sense. He was attired in a worn-out brown coat, and it was a bit dirty with plenty of gaps on it. His hair was messy and the same was the rest of his clothes.
Even the house they were in was messy, seeming to have little to no furniture. It was more like an abandoned dirty house.
"Zatanna's friend." Ian casually responded as he observed the man before him. He is after all one of the most famous and known characters in this world, and he's worth that popularity.
"That's a lie." Constantine, as if a reflexive reaction, called out Ian's lie.
"She told me to make you suffer if possible."
"Ok, I believe you. John Constantine." Constantine instantly changed his mind before reaching out for a handshake.
"Ian Rose, it's pleasure to meet you." Ian smiled and shook his hand.
Raven to the side just watched their interaction with a weird look, 'Is this really their first meeting?'
"So I assume she sent you to my location because you want something from me. What is it?" Constantine didn't really doubt his words that much.
First, the portal led him to his exact location, and there are very few people who know where he is. Moreover, he clearly sensed Zatanna's magical energy from the portal. That gave him a bit, a tiny bit of peace of mind, 'But further observation is needed. I especially need to observe the girl beside him. The darkness I sense within her is too potent.'
"So I basically can not die. I want to be your meat shield at the co..."
"Deal!!" Constantine almost instantly lifted his hand for another handshake, his face almost vibrant with excitement. The truth of Ian's words doesn't matter much to him. He'll just have to try, and if he dies he dies, if not, then perfect.
"At the cost of knowledge. Most of your knowledge, especially about dark magic. You'll mainly be teaching her while I learn other more specific stuff." Ian continued before shaking his hand.
"Sure sure. Let's actually start right about now." Constantine hurriedly tidied himself a bit before picking up a small dirty bag from the corner of the room.
"What were you doing."
"Hm? Just a bit of roleplay I guess?" Constantine shrugged his shoulders, and walked out of the apartment before adding, "Anyway, just listen to my instructions, Ok? There is a possessed person above that apartment. I was planning on trapping him the slow way, but now, you can just be a meatshield."
It was all natural to Exorcist. He didn't even hesitate to use Ian, but well, Constantine was quite the odd person. His moral compass was a bit crooked, hated by many but admired by those who understand. They're the ones that really matter.
"Hmm, sure. Raven, be ready to act, okay?"
"Didn't you tell me I just have to observe? So why should I help?" Raven complained in her usual monotone voice. She sounded a bit sour, perhaps because he didn't tell her of his power, and she only heard about it now though she was still doubtful on whether such a power exists or not.
"Hehe, you're adorable." Ian's comment startled her before she looked down, hiding her expression, "Wh-What?" She acted as if she didn't understand the implications of his words.
Ian made sure to put on a pair of gloves he prepared beforehand, knowing things might get ugly.
They went upstairs, following after the homeless magician. The latter directly kicked the door open which wasn't hard due to the frail state of the entire building, let alone the door.
He ran inside a specific room, finding an old man inside, seeming to have just woken up due to the loud sound. He was obviously a tramp, perhaps taking the abandoned apartment for himself without fear of it crumbling down on him. Does he have anything to lose anyway?
"Do it," Constantine instructed.
"Do it." Ian's voice followed, and Raven obliged, releasing a burst of violet energy that knocked the man out.
Ian also acted directly after as he stood above the man before using his knees and hands to hold him down.
Constantine then started his performance, quite an interesting one, for Ian at least as he observe the procedure carefully.
He looked closely as Constantine started forming what looked like a demonic symbol around him and the old man, all with white chalk. A magical chalk of sorts as it doesn't even need to touch the ground. It just painted the symbol as he waved it around close to the chosen location.
'Yeah, I don't understand a thing. I did try to ask the demons I summon for knowledge about exorcism but every one of them refused... Well, it doesn't matter, I will just learn from him.'
It was about that point that Constantine actually stayed true to his words, and started his teaching, "Look closely. Such demons are known as demons of possession. That's what they specialize at. They're very weak otherwise, but they stick to their victims like leeches, very hard to banish."
He finished writing the symbol by then and went on to stand outside of the symbol while moving his hands in a specific way.
Not for me though. All you have to do is to use chalk to write the said symbol or another depending on the situation, then you cast a spell by saying stuff and moving your magic in the way am doing now, and voila!!"
"I take it back. Just give me some books, and leave us to study them ourselves." Ian's face couldn't help but twitch as he shook his head and focused on the phenomenon happening beneath him, the one that made Constantine become serious as he quickened his chanting.
The old man before him started spasming as if seeking release from his grasp. A harsh voice started echoing out of his mouth, his extremely stretched mouth, almost as if he's gonna throw up.
"You'll regret this!!" The old man or the demon possessing him hissed as his head started twisting in a way that shouldn't be possible. His head took a 150-degree turn, crooking in the process.
The demon's eyes landed on Ian's eyes with a venomous grin, one of insanity he started to hiss at Ian. The latter on the other hand just smacked the demon before masking the latter's face, "Ew, just shut up."
"Yo..." Another smack.
"Dude, like, hurry up." Ian reminded Constantine as he felt the demon clearly getting stronger, and he'll surely overpower him if it continues like this. After all, while Ian is quickly approaching the limits of human physic, it's still within human limits in contrast to the abomination that is demons.
Constantine didn't answer but continued his strange chanting. His expression was becoming stranger by the second, and so was the demon's expression as it went from venomous to anger, and then to confusion and even horror.
"You... You're immune to possession?" Constantine's tongue slipped as he wondered.
"Pardon?" Ian instantly eyed Constantine with a strange look before understanding down on him.
"Ahem! Nothing. Anyway..." Constantine coughed in embarrassment before starting to chant again, albeit with a different incantation. This one was actually to banish the demon in contrast to the other one.
"You were trying to kill me!!! Constantine!!! I'll be waiting for youuu in hell!!!" The demon screeched again with intense loathing. Soon the old man stopped spasming. The demon was banished back to hell.
"That was very interesting... So you wanted the demon to possess me?" Ian questioned with a smile, a very strange expression for someone who has just been set up somehow.
"You're immune to possession, right? Great! We're gonna have a great friendship," Constantine ignored the question as he patted Ian's back with what looked like fancy?
"Now, let's get you your reward. A book for every case we solve! Cheers!" He further added though he noticed Ian eyeing him with narrowed eyes.
Constantine scratched his head in fake nervousness and murmured, "Two?" There was a bit of silence after that before he added, "Three. Final offer."
"Cheers!" Ian finally smiled and shook Constantine's hand while Raven looked at them strangely from the side, obviously speechless.
Thus the start of a harmless, peaceful, and vibrant partnership, one that will bring suicidal thoughts to even the toughest of demons. Hell was about to become more hellish, but it won't be all sweet and lovely for The demonologist, exorcist, and magician. Zatanna will surely be delighted.
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