章節 55: The Call of Eclipso
Maggie's vision blurred, her strength fading as she fought against the suffocating shadows. She felt herself slipping, the weight of the dark tendrils overwhelming her.
Then, like a thunderclap, the sound of splintering wood and shattering glass filled the room. The air shifted, a gust of wind tearing through the shadows as a figure barreled in through the window with explosive force.
"Let her go!" Conner Kent's voice rang out, his tone fierce and commanding.
Eclipso turned, their glowing eyes narrowing as Conner landed in a crouch, the floorboards cracking beneath his weight. The young half Kryptonian wasted no time, launching himself at Eclipso with superhuman speed and strength.
The impact was immediate. Conner's punch connected with Eclipso's chest, sending thwm staggering backward. The force of the blow disrupted their concentration, and the shadows binding Maggie dissolved instantly, dropping her to the floor.
Gasping for air, Maggie clutched her ribs and scrambled backward, her mind racing.
"Run, Maggie!" Conner shouted, as he squared off against Eclipso. "Get out of here!"
Maggie hesitated for a split second, her gaze darting between Conner and the exit. Eclipso had recovered quickly, their expression dark and furious as the darkness around them surged once more, coiling like serpents.
"Foolish boy," Eclipso hissed, their voice dripping with menace. "You dare interfere?"
Conner smirked, his stance unyielding. "You're not laying a hand on her again."
Taking advantage of the moment, Maggie forced herself to her feet, her body trembling from exhaustion and pain. She stumbled toward the door, her heart pounding as she bolted into the hallway.
Behind her, she heard the clash of power—Conner's strength colliding with Eclipso's dark energy. The walls trembled with the force of their battle.
Maggie burst out onto the street, the cool night air hitting her like a wave. She leaned against a lamppost, clutching her side as her breathing came in ragged gasps. Her vision blurred from exhaustion, but she forced herself to focus.
She couldn't stay here. Not when Eclipso was still inside. Not when Conner was risking himself to protect her.
Summoning what little strength she had left, Maggie stumbled toward the alley, disappearing into the shadows as she tried to put as much distance as possible between herself and the danger she had just escaped.
Maggie leaned heavily against the cold brick wall of the alley, her body trembling from exhaustion. Her ribs ached with every shallow breath, and her legs felt like they might give out at any moment. She slid down to the ground, letting the rough surface of the wall support her weight.
"You've managed to escape, for now," Lillyanna's voice murmured in her mind, calm yet tinged with urgency.
Maggie wiped the sweat from her brow, her hands trembling slightly. "Yeah, well, barely," she muttered, her voice hoarse. "I don't even know how far I made it."
"Far enough to buy you a little time," Lillyanna replied. "But not enough to escape him for good."
Maggie let out a dry laugh, the sound devoid of humor. "Right now, I don't care about escaping. I'm too damn tired to care about anything."
"You can't afford to stay like this, Maggie," Lillyanna pressed, her tone sharp. "Eclipso is relentless. He's already seen your weakness, and he'll exploit it the moment he finds you again."
Maggie tilted her head back against the wall, her chest rising and falling as she caught her breath. "I'm not weak," she said, her voice steady despite the weariness in her body.
"You're not," Lillyanna agreed. "But you're vulnerable. Your body is failing you because you pushed it too hard. The shadows saved you tonight, but they'll only carry you so far without draining you completely."
Maggie's lips curled into a faint smirk. "You sound worried."
"I am," Lillyanna admitted after a moment. "Eclipso isn't just a threat to you, Maggie. He's a threat to everything connected to the shadows. If he takes your power, he'll use it to unleash destruction you can't imagine."
Maggie's expression hardened, though her body remained slumped against the wall. "So what's the plan? I let you take over and suddenly I'm unstoppable?"
"It's not about me taking over," Lillyanna said firmly. "It's about you letting me guide you. Right now, you're running on instinct, barely tapping into what you're capable of. That won't work against someone like Eclipso."
Maggie rolled her eyes, though the motion made her wince. "You've got all the answers, huh?"
"I have enough," Lillyanna replied evenly. "But whether you listen is up to you."
Maggie rested her head against her knees, her exhaustion clear in every movement. "I don't have the energy to argue with you right now," she muttered.
"Good," Lillyanna said, her tone softening slightly. "Because arguing won't help you survive. Rest, Maggie. Gather your strength. When the time comes, you'll need every ounce of power you have."
Maggie closed her eyes, letting her body sink further against the wall. "I'll rest," she murmured. "But only because I don't have a choice."
"That's a start," Lillyanna said quietly. "But remember, Maggie—this isn't over. Eclipso will come for you again, and next time, you need to be ready."
Maggie let out a faint, humorless laugh. "Yeah, yeah.Sounds like a blast."
As the last of her strength ebbed away, Maggie drifted into a restless sleep, the shadows around her flickering faintly as they seemed to keep watch.
The apartment was a war zone. Walls were cracked, furniture was shattered, and the floor creaked under the strain of the fight. Conner stood his ground, his chest heaving from the effort of holding back Eclipso.
Eclipso, shrouded in writhing darkness, loomed larger than life. His glowing eyes bore into Conner with an unnerving calm, even as the young half Kryptonian continued his relentless assault.
"You're strong," Eclipso said, his voice smooth yet mocking as he sidestepped another of Conner's punches. "But strength alone won't save you. Or her."
Conner gritted his teeth, his jaw tight as he lunged forward. "You're not taking her power, and you're not touching her again!"
Eclipso smiled faintly, his movements unnaturally fluid as he dodged and retaliated with a wave of darkness that slammed Conner against the wall. The impact sent a tremor through the room, but Conner quickly rebounded, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip.
Before Eclipso could press his advantage, the sound of a grappling hook cutting through the air and a flash of light broke through the chaos.
"Enough!" Batman's commanding voice rang out as he landed on the far side of the room, his cape billowing behind him.
Robin, with his staff at the ready, darted into the fray, positioning himself between Conner and Eclipso. Constantine strode in behind them, his trench coat swirling as he lit a cigarette with a snap of his fingers.
"Well, well," Constantine drawled, his sharp eyes locking onto Eclipso. "If it isn't the angel of wrath himself. Been a long time, mate."
Eclipso turned to face the newcomers, his expression unreadable. "Ah, the cavalry," he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "Here to protect your precious, no doubt."
"Where's Maggie?" Batman demanded, his voice cold and unwavering.
Eclipso chuckled, a deep, menacing sound. "She's safe… for now. But not for long. You can't shield her from .e."
The air was thick with tension, as Eclipso loomed before the group, his glowing eyes burning with malice.
"She's a Nightshade," Eclipso hissed, his voice dripping with disdain and triumph. "Do you even understand what that means, Constantine? Or has the weight of your failures dulled your memory?"
Constantine froze for a moment, the word Nightshade sending a cold shiver through him. Memories he had buried long ago surged to the surface—fragments of ancient texts, warnings etched in blood, and the face of someone he had once failed to protect.
"Bloody hell," Constantine muttered under his breath, his usual bravado faltering.
Eclipso sneered, sensing the hesitation. "Ah, there it is. You remember, don't you? You remember what happens to those marked by the shadows."
Batman stepped forward, his voice sharp and unyielding. "She's not yours."
Eclipso let out a low, menacing chuckle. "You can't protect her, Dark Knight."
Before anyone could respond, Eclipso raised his hand, unleashing a surge of dark energy that lashed out like living tendrils. The group scattered, Batman throwing a device mid-air that detonated in a flash of blinding light, dispersing the tendrils momentarily.
Robin darted forward, his staff spinning with precision as he landed a solid blow against Eclipso's side. The impact sent a ripple through the shadows, but Eclipso barely flinched.
Constantine, snapping out of his momentary daze, muttered an incantation under his breath. His hands glowed with an ethereal light as he formed a barrier to shield the group from another shadowy strike.
"He's not going to go down easy," Constantine said, his voice grim as he conjured a glowing sigil in the air with a sweep of his hand. "We need to cut off his connection to our plane."
Eclipso's glowing eyes flickered with amusement as he faced the group, his shadowy form swirling and shifting like smoke. "Do you think you can banish me, Constantine?" he sneered, his voice echoing unnaturally. "This plane bends to me. The shadows are mine to command."
"They might bend to you," Constantine shot back, his hands glowing as the sigil pulsed brighter. "But I'm about to break your hold on them."
Eclipso's expression darkened, his form rippling as the shadows around him coiled like snakes, ready to strike.
"Robin, Conner!" Batman barked, his voice sharp. "Keep him distracted. Constantine needs time."
Robin twirled his staff with practiced ease, his posture tense. "On it."
Conner cracked his knuckles, his fists ready to throw down . "We got it."
The two launched into action, flanking Eclipso on either side. Conner struck first, rushing in with a devastating punch aimed at Eclipso's center mass. The impact sent a shockwave through the room, but Eclipso barely flinched, his form absorbing the blow like water rippling around a stone.
Robin followed up, darting in with precision strikes from his staff. Each hit disrupted the swirling shadows, though none seemed to truly land.
Eclipso let out a low chuckle, his voice dripping with disdain. "Pitiful," he said, his shadows lashing out like living whips, forcing Robin and Conner to backpedal. "You can't touch me."
Batman, observing from the shadows, threw a series of explosive devices that detonated mid-air, their flashbang effect momentarily dispersing the shadows around Eclipso.
"You might not be able to hurt me," Eclipso growled, his attention snapping to Batman, "but I can hurt you."
He raised a hand, and a massive wave of shadowy energy surged toward Batman. Before it could connect, Constantine's sigil flared brightly, forming a protective barrier that absorbed the attack.
"Not today, mate," Constantine said, his voice strained but steady. "You're not the only one who knows a thing or two about magic."
Eclipso snarled, his form flickering as the light from Constantine's spell grew brighter. The shadows around him began to waver, their connection to the physical plane weakening.
Robin darted forward again, this time landing a solid strike to Eclipso's side. The force disrupted his form further, and Conner seized the opportunity to land a powerful uppercut that sent Eclipso staggering back.
"Enough!" Eclipso roared, his voice reverberating through the room. He raised both hands, summoning a massive vortex of shadows that began to pull everything toward it.
Constantine gritted his teeth, his voice rising as he chanted the final words of his incantation. The sigil flared brilliantly, its light piercing through the vortex and anchoring itself around Eclipso.
"You're done," Constantine said, his tone laced with finality.
The light from the sigil intensified, and Eclipso let out an enraged howl as his form began to dissolve, the shadows tearing away from him like smoke in a gale.
"You think this is over?" Eclipso snarled, his voice echoing as his body fragmented. " The Nightshade will be mine."
With a final burst of light, Eclipso was banished, his form evaporating into nothingness. The vortex collapsed, leaving the room eerily quiet.
Constantine leaned heavily against a nearby wall, wiping sweat from his brow. "Bloody hell," he muttered. "That was close."
Robin twirled his staff, his breath steadying. "He's gone, right? For good?"
Constantine shook his head. "Not for good. Banished. He'll be licking his wounds in whatever dark corner of existence he came from. But he'll be back. He always comes back."
The air in the apartment was thick with the aftermath of the battle. The walls were cracked, the furniture in ruins, and the lingering traces of shadow energy clung to the air like a cold mist. Batman stood near the center of the room, his posture rigid as he surveyed the destruction, his keen eyes scanning for any clues Eclipso might have left behind.
Constantine leaned against a damaged wall, lighting a cigarette with shaky hands. He took a deep drag, his expression a mix of exhaustion and frustration. "Well, that was bloody delightful," he muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Eclipso's got his sights set on her good and proper."
Robin knelt near the corner of the room, where one of Eclipso's shadow tendrils had left a dark scorch mark. His staff was still in hand, his knuckles white from how tightly he gripped it. "He called her a Nightshade," Robin said, his voice quiet but sharp. "What does that even mean?"
Constantine blew out a stream of smoke, his gaze flicking to the young vigilante. "A Nightshade," he began, his tone grim, "isn't just someone who can control shadows. It's someone who's bonded to them. Someone who's more than a conduit—they're a bloody magnet for the darkest forces in the universe. Eclipso wants her because she's powerful enough to reshape the shadows to her will. And if he gets his claws on her... well, let's just say it won't be pretty."
Conner looked between Constantine and Batman, his expression torn between anger and worry. "So what do we do? We can't let him get to her again."
Maggie slumped against the cold brick wall, her body trembling with exhaustion and pain. The quiet of the alley offered a brief moment of respite, but it was short-lived. Without warning, a sharp, searing pain erupted in her head, as if her skull were being torn apart from the inside.
She let out a strangled gasp, clutching at her temples. The pain intensified, her vision swimming with distorted images of shadows and glowing eyes. Her breathing quickened as the sensation of claws raking through her mind overwhelmed her.
Then it came—a voice, deep and resonant, echoing in her skull.
"You cannot escape me, Nightshade," Eclipso's voice hissed, venomous and mocking. "You think you can run, hide, and rest? The shadows belong to me, and so do you."
Maggie screamed, her voice raw and echoing through the dark alley. Tears streaming down her face as she tried to fight off the mental assault. The shadows around her seemed to writhe and pulse in response to her anguish, feeding off the chaos.
"Get out of my head!" she choked, clawing at her temples as if she could physically force Eclipso's presence away.
The pain grew worse, stabbing deeper, making her vision blur. Eclipso's laughter rang in her mind, cruel and endless. "You are mine, Maggie. No amount of running will change that. You cannot defy me."
The force of her scream echoed through Metropolis, cutting through the noise of the bustling city. Above the skyline, Superman heard it instantly. His head snapped in the direction of the sound, his sharp hearing isolating the source.
In a flash, he rocketed toward the alley, the air cracking with the sonic boom of his departure. Within seconds, he landed softly in the alley, his cape billowing behind him. His piercing blue eyes scanned the scene and locked onto Maggie's crumpled form on the ground.
"Maggie?" Superman said, his voice calm but edged with concern as he approached her.
Maggie didn't respond. She was on her hands and knees, her face twisted in agony, her screams subsiding into ragged gasps. The shadows around her twisted and flared wildly, as though alive, lashing out against the walls of the alley.
Superman knelt beside Maggie, his cape brushing against the cracked pavement as he reached out cautiously. His piercing blue eyes scanned her trembling form, her face twisted in agony as she clutched her head. The shadows around her writhed violently, lashing out in all directions like living things.
"Maggie," he said gently, his voice steady despite the chaos. "It's me—Clark. Can you hear me?"
As his hand moved closer to her shoulder, the shadows reacted, surging toward him like a swarm of serpents. Superman flinched, not from fear but from the realization that the shadows weren't just defending her—they were causing her pain. Maggie screamed, her voice raw and filled with desperation, as the tendrils of darkness coiled tighter around her.
The pain in her head seemed to intensify, and she writhed on the ground, tears streaming down her face. "Make it stop!" she pleaded, her voice breaking. "Please, I can't—" Her breathing hitched, and her next words came out in a hoarse whisper that sent a chill through even Superman's unshakeable resolve. "He here...Please… kill me before..."
Superman's heart clenched. "No, Maggie," he said firmly, his voice both gentle and resolute. "I'm not letting that happen."
She sobbed, her body trembling as the shadows flared wildly, their movements erratic and chaotic. Each surge seemed to send another wave of excruciating pain through her. Superman knew he needed help—immediately. He reached for the communicator in his ear, activating it with a touch.
"Batman," Superman said, his tone sharp and urgent. "I've found her."
"Where is she?" Batman's voice came through, calm but with an undercurrent of tension.
"In an alley in Metropolis," Superman replied quickly. "But it's bad. The shadows—whatever connection she has to them—they're attacking anyone who gets close. She's in so much pain… she just asked me to kill her." His voice faltered for a moment before he steadied it. "I don't know how much longer she can hold on."
There was a brief pause on the other end before Batman's voice came back, colder now, more focused. "We're on our way."
Superman glanced down at Maggie, who was still trembling and clutching her head, her breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. "I'll do my best," he said. "But hurry."
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