The team gathered in the medical bay, a sterile room filled with humming machines and soft, blinking lights. Jane was in a special chamber, designed to help her complete her second awakening, her unconscious form floating gently in the middle of a shimmering aether field; nobody knew why she was levitating but they had too much going on at the moment and she seemed fine for now. Marcus, meanwhile, lay on a nearby bed, bandages wrapped around his injured shoulder and other wounds. He was clearly in pain, but his mind was sharp, focused on the tasks at hand.
"Sadly, I'll need to delegate," Marcus said, his voice steady despite his obvious discomfort. "Darryl, I need you to keep an eye on Vicky. We can't afford to lose track of her, especially given how brazen these mages are."
Darryl nodded, understanding the importance of his task. "Got it. I'll make sure she's safe."
"Shift," Marcus continued, turning to her, "you need to set up our secondary location in the city. We need a secure fallback point."
Shift, her face set with determination, nodded. "I'll take care of it, boss."
Marcus then looked at Kento. "Elias, the vampire, requested a meeting with you. I need you to go see him in The Underworld."
"I guess it always comes around." Kento said coldly. He knew that he was very likely walking to his death – however, at this moment, an idea struck him.
Kento accepted the mission with a nod but then spoke up. "I'd like to take Constantine with me. It's a good opportunity to teach him about the Unveiled world."
Marcus considered this for a moment, then agreed. "Alright. Make sure stays safe though. Elias didn't seem very pleased with you."
"I know, I'll take care of it." Kento replied curtly, then exited the medical bay followed by Constantine.
They headed to Constantine's room. The room was simple and sparse, reflecting Constantine's no-nonsense attitude…or at least that what he tells himself. Darryl had recovered most of his belongings from his apartment, but he didn't exactly own much. Kento glanced around, his eyes landing on the wardrobe with a look of mild disapproval.
"We need to get you looking sharp," Kento said, opening the wardrobe and sifting through Constantine's clothes. "This won't do." he clicked his tongue.
Constantine watched, somewhat bemused, as Kento critiqued his clothing choices. "What's wrong with my clothes?" he asked.
Kento pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with an anime character posing on it, holding them up with a look of disdain. "This isn't even acceptable for a frat party, let alone going to The Underworld. Always remember this; presentation matters." he said sternly.
Kento twisted a ring on his finger and pulled out an all-black suit with a red tie. "Here, try this on."
Constantine took the suit, eyeing it with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. "Is this really necessary?"
"Trust me," Kento said, a faint smile playing on his lips. "In this world, appearances can be just as important as power. You need to look the part."
Reluctantly, Constantine changed into the suit. When he emerged from the bathroom, Kento gave an approving nod. They looked almost identical now; black jackets, pants and shoes, with a black shirt and a red tie. The only difference was that Kento was wearing various rings as well as two earrings, which Constantine assumed were artifacts – this guy was the personification of efficiency after all. "Much better. Now, let's go meet Elias." Kento said.
Shift teleported Kento and Constantine to a block filled with interconnected alleyways. The buildings loomed overhead, casting long shadows in the dim light. The air was thick with the smell of damp concrete and the distant hum of city life.
"Channel aether into your eyes," Kento instructed. Constantine did as he was told, focusing his energy until a faint glow emanated from his irises.
Suddenly, the alleyways transformed. Symbols and arrows began to glow on the walls, pointing in a certain direction. Constantine stared in amazement. "What is this?"
Kento explained as they walked. "The Underworld exists across various places simultaneously. It never appears in the same spot twice in a row. Only the Unveiled can read the symbols and see the club."
They followed the glowing symbols, navigating through the maze-like alleys until they reached a nondescript door. A large, imposing werewolf named Brick stood guard. Unlike the last time Kento was here, Brick's greeting was filled with hesitation and bitterness.
"Kenny," Brick growled, his eyes narrowing. "I thought we were friends. Now I find out you're an Outcast and you lied to us."
Kento maintained a cold expression, though a flicker of pain crossed his eyes. "Brick, I did what I had to do. The wards are deactivated, right?"
Brick grunted, stepping aside. "Yeah, you can go in. But why'd you bring him?" He jerked his head towards Constantine.
"I'm babysitting," Kento said simply.
"Hey!" Constantine shouted, but a sideways glance from Kento shut him up.
Brick's gaze hardened. "Does he even know what he's walking into?"
Kento sighed. "Not fully, but he's learning. I needed to bring him here. It's important."
Brick shook his head, a mix of disappointment and frustration evident in his features. "You know, Kenny, we trusted you. Marie, me, all of us. You could've told us the truth."
Kento looked down for a moment before meeting Brick's eyes again. "I couldn't. You have to understand, I was protecting you all."
Brick stepped aside, still glaring. "Go on in. But this isn't over, Kenny. You owe us an explanation."
Kento met his gaze and smiled softly. "I promise I'll explain everything. In due time."
"I'll hold you to that," Brick said with a sigh, letting them pass.
As they entered, Marie, another familiar face, saw them at the entrance but turned her head away. Kento felt a pang of regret but kept his expression neutral. These people had been his friends for most of his adult life. Lying to them had been necessary, but it didn't make it any easier.
Inside, the club was a haze of dim lights, loud music, and murmured conversations. Kento led Constantine through the crowd, heading towards a back room where Elias would be waiting. As they walked, Constantine couldn't help but notice the tension in Kento's shoulders, the way his jaw was set tight. Despite his outward calm, Kento was clearly affected by the cold reception from his former friends.
"I'm sure they'll understand." he told Kento, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
Kento paused for a second, gently pushing his hand off of him and turning sideways to look at him."
"Constantine," he said.
"What?" Constantine replied.
"Shut the fuck up." Kento said as he kept walking.
"Dick." Constantine murmured, but Kento ignored him.
Finally, they reached a door at the back of the club. Kento paused, taking a deep breath before pushing it open. Inside, Elias awaited them, comfortably seated on a leather chair, his presence commanding and his aura almost tangible in the confined space.
"Kento Salvatore," Elias greeted, his eyes sharp and assessing. "Who's this you've brought with you?"
"Constantine St. John," Kento replied. "He's a new recruit. He's here to learn."
Elias's gaze shifted to Constantine, and for a moment, the room seemed to grow colder. "And why is that?" he asked, his tone both curious and cautious.
Kento stepped forward, his voice steady. "He needs to understand our world. He's already involved more than he knows."
Elias studied Constantine for a moment longer before nodding slowly. "Very well. Welcome to The Underworld, Constantine," he said, a faint smile playing on his lips as he got up from his chair.
"Let's see what you're made of." he said with a devious smile.