Chương 112: Two Worlds
"Whoa?!
"What?!
Harley and I were equally shocked by this news, unable to find censorious words to describe the full extent of our distress.
"Sonny Raymond's fiancé, the owner of the Paradise Casino in Las Vegas," the screen embedded in the windshield of the Batwing's windshield flashed a bunch of images and articles, thus showing that not only our couple was greatly disturbed by the illusionist's atypical behavior.
"Oh, Betsy did the presentation again - that's so sweet," my assistant brushed away an invisible tear.
Fortunately, the superhero paid no attention to the words of my charming companion and continued his story as if nothing had happened while our transport began to slowly gain altitude.
"Lives the life of an ordinary millionaire. Loves delicious food, beautiful women, expensive cars and his own casino. He has a dozen minor administrative offenses, one major fine for selling alcohol with an expired license, but this is clearly the work of competitors. Overall, nothing serious. The people working for him are positive.
"Hmmm... What are the administrative fees for?
"Most for parking and speeding, one for a bar fight: he gave a waiter a black eye," as the explanations were given, the necessary newspaper articles appeared on the screen along with the court decisions.
"Not so much," I looked thoughtfully at the picture of the rival for the heart of the beautiful sorceress.
Black gel-smooth hair, brown eyes, thin eyebrows that had clearly been worked on by a stylist, high cheekbones, a straight nose, a wide Hollywood smile, and a light, even tan on his face. The man looked about forty-five years old.
Raymond had nice looks, but what the hell was Zee doing marrying him?!
"So, where did he get the money to build a casino, not in Ocean City, but in Las Vegas? - I got caught up in the inconsistency. - It's incredibly hard to earn money by honest labor for such a business, and casinos are a business where it's very hard to stay with an unblemished reputation.
"Inherited from his father, Benjamin Raymond. He was no stranger to outright crime. In the seventies, actively eliminated competitors, using the services of the mafia, but managed to avoid punishment by bribing the jury. He died twenty years ago in an airplane crash.
A new photo appeared on the screen. If it wasn't for Bats' comment, I would have thought it was the same person, because the only difference between father and son was the presence of Suvorov-style sideburns (mustache and bangs connected to each other and smoothly descended to the base of the jaw, leaving the chin open). Of course, one could assume that this way Raymond Sr. decided to write off old debts and start life with a clean slate, but even the best plastic surgeon can not completely remove age changes, and according to the passport Benjamin was to be eighty-three this year. Besides, it is quite problematic to falsify a whole life, including medical certificates and school diplomas, when the greatest detective is involved, and since our mouse friend didn't say anything about it, everything is normal.
"Okay...
"That's not all," Bats interrupted me. - This morning a fire broke out in Zatanna's room, completely destroying the room. Witnesses said the flames had a human shape.
"A fire elemental? - I suggested.
"Or a demon, they can do that too.
"Do you think it might have something to do with the wedding?
"You can't rule out that possibility... I just got some new information," Gloomy Mouse's voice suddenly became even more serious. - The wedding will be tonight at midnight.
"What kind of idiot celebrates at midnight?! Bats, can your bird get us straight to Vegas without refueling in Gotham?
"He can. Put on your masks," a niche with a pair of closed helmets opened above the seats.
***
Three and a half thousand kilometers, as promised by the superhero, our transport covered in just fifty minutes, landing near the small town of Goodsprings (called, feel Courier), so as not to fall under the radar. With the time difference, and another hour to get to Las Vegas in a pre-call cab, the wedding was exactly seven hours away.
Still in the fighter cockpit I scrutinized the plans of the building, so, leaving the yellow car and disguised as ordinary passers-by, we went straight to the casino, intending to penetrate the security room to view the camera recordings. And what was my surprise when I noticed a familiar character at the restaurant on the opposite side of the street.
Leaning against the wall stood John Constantine himself in his customary beige overcoat and the invariable cigarette in his teeth.
I immediately change the direction of my route, turning towards the wizard and dragging the incomprehensible blonde cutie behind me.
Three meters away, the man recognized our incomparable couple. The disguise was a disguise, but I didn't bother with it, intending to create a legend that the Joker had been hanging out in the city of gambling all this time. It was suspicious that the former clown prince of the underworld disappeared from Gotham at the same time as Jay Arkham's departure.
"Oh, Jay, Harley, what are you doing here? - The magician greeted us with a wave of his hand.
~Bam~
"John, you don't know how good it is to see you!
He landed on his ass and shook his head dazedly. A few bystanders slowed down a bit, but realizing that no one was going to finish the fallen man off, they shrugged and went about their business.
"Ouch. What the hell? - The recovered wizard looked at me in surprise, holding his slightly injured jaw.
"We almost died in that castle. First we had to run away from a flesh golem summoned by "incapable fanatics," and then we had to run away from giant spiders that those freaks had fed on dead meat If it hadn't been for Zee, I wouldn't be alive! - I made my claim right off the bat.
"Oh..." The man's face took on a puzzled expression. - Then let me buy you a drink, there's a great bar nearby," he stood up. - And we should talk about how we're going to get our friend out. That's why you're here, isn't it?
As I suspected, the sorceress didn't marry of her own free will. Konstantin was the first to arrive in the city and had already managed to do some reconnaissance, having found out that some of the Paradise casino employees were a kind of undead, and there was also a clear influence of some strong demon.
Damn, I never thought I'd have to deal with guests from other dimensions again while trying to upset a wedding.
"How did you even realize they weren't human? - I decided to ask.
After a bar with really good alcohol, we moved smoothly to the roof of the hotel, where we had a good view of the casino, and now I was watching a couple of security guards through binoculars, trying to figure out what was wrong with their behavior. Yeah, a little slow, but I'd look at a man who could keep his wits about him after eight hours on his feet.
"I just looked with my true sight," he shrugged, lighting another cigarette. - Hmm, I take it Zatanna's training has stalled since she hasn't initiated? Or is she still short of reserve?
"One.
True vision, aka "the third eye", is the main tool of any normal magician. It allows you to see magical structures rather than taste or smell them. It can also be used to look at the "underside" of the world, which is essentially a dimension connected to ours, where various creatures dwell.
"Oh, then let me walk her through it and we'll be even? - John was clearly relieved.
"No, that won't do," I shook my head negatively. - I know that you're a very powerful sorcerer, so in addition to initiation, you'll need information on fighting various demons, from imps to lords. Then we'll consider it even.
"Uh, maybe seventh circle battle magic?
"No, just demonology," I smiled happily, looking at the slightly slumped wizard who couldn't get away with a little blood.
To the uninitiated, our conversation may seem strange, but it's all about the promise of some magic lessons Jon made before attacking the castle of the Melholm fanatics.
When Harley and I were reading about magical marriage, in the same book we came across the magical etiquette, which was dictated by the laws of magic, and it was clearly stated there, any contract, even verbal, must be observed, otherwise the consequences can be fatal, because in addition to helping the Earth there is also the opposite effect. And our acquaintance is already a hundred percent pressed by an unclosed gestalt, so willy-nilly he had to agree to my terms.
There was still plenty of time before the wedding, so I decided not to put it off and do the initiation right now. There was a suspicion that the mage, after rescuing the sexy illusionist, would once again take off in an unknown direction, disregarding his obligations and possible consequences, and it was better not to count on Zee in that respect. What if he takes offense again? Besides, I know the whole sequence of actions perfectly well, so I'll be able to understand if John decides to cheat.
The ritual was performed in a nearby hotel room, where our friend rented a room. The ritual required no special ingredients for initiation, except for seven black candles, but the sorcerer always had such consumables in stock.
Twenty minutes of work, and here I am already standing in the center of a schematically depicted eye surrounded by candles burning with blue flames.
"Ready? - John gently touched his palms to my temples.
"Where am I going to go," I shrug.
"Remember, this is astral projection. Your eyes are safe.
"Huh, come on. Don't get your balls in a knot.
"Whatever you say. Verum Oculus! - With those words, he thrust his thumbs into my eye sockets, digging them right into my brain.
At least, the feeling was exactly like that. By the way, this is one of the reasons, not counting the presence of normal reserve in both participants, why one should not carry out the initiation on one's own. One could accidentally deprive oneself of eyes by mistaking the material body for an astral projection. Some ancient magicians had such misfires, which gave rise to legends about blind elders and prophets.
Ten seconds later, the torture was over, aided by a funny memory, and a couple of extra objects were pulled out of my head, which had gotten pretty hot in the process. I was probably the first person to giggle during the procedure, judging by the dazed look on the mage's face.
Blinking, I looked around the room carefully, noticing my assistant discreetly tucking the Glock into her pants pocket.
"I don't see anything changing.
"You look outside," John smiled slyly. - Don't be scared.
Following the advice, I walked over to the window and froze.
The streets were lined with dangerous-looking spiky plants that looked like dark vines, and here and there cracks in the asphalt were visible, with small fires spewing out of them. The streets were lined with dangerous-looking spiky plants like dark vines, and here and there cracks were visible in the asphalt, from which small jets of fire were shooting out. A man walking along the road, staring at his smartphone, was jumped by a hideous, eyeless creature that looked like a mutant lizard. The monster clearly intended to bite its victim's head off, but instead it flew through her as if through a hologram, and then skittered off into the nearest alley.
Yeah, no wonder most mages are pretty phlegmatic about everything since they have to see stuff like this.
"In time, you'll get used to it, and you'll be able to choose the right depth of gaze," Konstantin stood next to me. - Ninety percent of spells need only the first layer, but right now you're probably seeing the third. Monsters and weird plants.
"Uh-huh, that's what I'm seeing. Hmm, why do these creatures only walk the streets, but not the apartments? - I paid attention to the atypical behavior of the monsters, who were not shy to look through some open windows, but did not try to crawl inside.
"My home is my fortress. Even though people do not possess magic, they still have a special energy with which they unknowingly protect their homes. It is for this reason that some dark creatures require an invitation. Shall we initiate your friend, or the candles will burn out soon? - He abruptly changed the subject.
"Harley? - I redirected the question, continuing to play with my new ability, starting to feel the growing tension in my eyes.
"Mr. J., can you do it? I don't want some left-handed, unshaven man getting his grubby fingers in my astral orifices.
"My level of control still leaves a lot to be desired, and I haven't worked with the astral plane yet.
"Well, then, fuck it," the pretty girl said. - Just tell me who to kill when we get into the casino.
***
We decided to leave fifteen minutes before the ceremony, and it was a decision made for a reason. First of all, the time of the wedding was obviously not chosen by chance, and there is a very high probability, according to the sorcerer, as much as ninety percent, that our appearance will disrupt some ritual. Secondly, we just don't know where the sorceress is right now, and the event will definitely be held in Hall 2B, which was kindly posted on the official website. No, like, it's understandable that Zee is being held in a casino somewhere, but the building is fucking huge, plus there's dead people as security. We're gonna blow this, and they're not gonna give us a second chance.
Now our friendly couple was hanging out on the roof, again keeping watch, and at the same time listening to the wizard's story about various demons and methods of fighting them.
Now, at maximum effort, I could see the faint dark haze that hovered over some of the staff. The man explained that this is how dark mana spells manifest themselves, and it takes a lot of practice before you can maintain the right depth of vision for at least ten minutes. Though in real life, no one keeps the true gaze active all the time, as the brains start to boil naturally from the amount of incoming information, and it is rare to look so deeply, at most, as a check when visiting dangerous places.
"Time," John flicked out his cigarette, just as he was finishing a story about the proper way to draw up a contract with the lords. This lecture could be summarized in one thesis: stay out of it, it will eat you and torture you in the process, enjoying the suffering. Although, if there is no way out, you can flounder a bit and with a lot of luck even come out on the plus side, but you really shouldn't risk it.
After quickly checking the weapons we had consecrated along the way and casting a light illusion on ourselves, we all set off together to the stronghold of excitement.
Las Vegas continued to live the night life, literally all establishments of the city were working round the clock. Our goal was no exception to this rule, so we calmly passed the guards at the entrance and found ourselves in a world of bright colors. The noise of slot machines, unobtrusive background music, tobacco smoke that the exhaust hood couldn't cope with, friendly waitresses serving drinks.
"Fuck," John cursed quietly as we approached the stairs leading to the second floor.
"What's the matter?
"A demon, a very powerful one. His energy is stinking up the place like we're on the threshold of hell.
"I don't feel anything," I looked around carefully, straining my eyes.
"If you are constantly dealing with these creatures, you get used to determining such nuances, but for now, trust my instincts and prepare your weapons," he advised, discreetly pulling a small cross from his coat pocket.
Soon we reached the right hall, with a couple of guards on duty next to it.
"This is a private event, outsiders are not allowed to enter," one of them stood in the aisle, not allowing them to pass.
"We really need to get inside," John smiled openly, putting his hands on the men's shoulders. - Sanitatem Lux.
"They screamed wildly, clutching at the warlock.
The illusion dissipated, showing natural zombies engulfed in holy flames.
"Come on, I can handle them! - The mage commanded as he continued to burn the corpses.
Well, we can forget about stealth now.
~Bah~
Kicking the door open, we burst into a beautifully decorated room with a bunch of guests. Standing at the altar is Zee, in a beautiful white dress and a matching cylinder with a purple ribbon, and next to her is Sonny the bastard and the priest in a dark robe, who is just asking the guests if anyone is against marriage. It's about time.
"Let her go!
"Jay? Harley? - The sorceress wrinkled her nose. - But... CROOM CHORP!
A golden wave spread out from her, dispelling the illusion and revealing that all the guests looked like desiccated corpses.
"I beseech you dead men to reveal the truth. Tell me who this man is! - The magician was instantly oriented, pointing her finger obscenely at the failed fiancé.
"He's my husband, Benjamin Raymond," one of the bridesmaids responded.
"And mine," said the other.
"Mine too," the voices of several upper-rounded zombies merged into a cacophony.
"And how long was your happily married life with Mr. Raymond? - The sorceress asked curtly.
"A few seconds... Until he sold us to Lord Mammon.
"Benjamin traded our youth to prolong his.
"Our souls, in exchange for his.
"And now you belong to me," the priest's outline floated, and in a couple of moments the two-meter tall figure of a vile red-skinned demon appeared behind the illusionist's back.
Yellow evil eyes, pointed ears like an elf's, two short bent horns on his forehead, his lower lip is pulled back by a large gold ring, showing a cluster of sharp teeth, his huge belly is bound by an ugly scar in the form of a cross, sewn with rough stitches, and around his neck dangles a necklace of gold disks.
"Nah. Well, that's fucked up for sure," John chose that exact moment to enter the hall, shaking off his cloak of black ash.
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