Deep in the forgotten corners of Hell, where even demons feared to tread, the First of the Fallen raged.
His makeshift throne room - a mockery of the celestial court he once attended - trembled with his fury.
Stone cracked. Shadows writhed. The few lesser demons who served him cowered in distant corners, their forms quivering with terror.
The First paced, his form shifting between appearances - sometimes handsome and terrible, sometimes monstrous and ancient, but always radiating the power of one who existed before Creation itself.
"A connection severed by a mere messenger," he snarled, though the interruption was the least of his concerns. What he had sensed in that brief moment of contact with Constantine's universe had shaken him to his core.
Another Lightbringer.
The First stopped his pacing, his rage finally boiling over. He threw back his head and roared at the cavernous ceiling, his voice echoing through the chambers of Hell, directed at the One who had cast him out eons ago.
"IS THIS YOUR ANSWER?" he bellowed, his voice cracking reality itself. "FIRST ME, THEN LUCIFER, NOW THIS... THIS ABOMINATION?"
The chamber shook violently, stalactites crashing down around him. He paid them no mind, his ancient eyes fixed on the ceiling as if he could see through it to Heaven itself.
"You lit the stars with Lucifer, and when he fell, you wept," he snarled, his voice dropping to a venomous hiss.
"But instead of mourning, you made another - one not born of Heaven's fire, but forged in secret like a guilty afterthought. You think this one will love you better? Serve you longer? You've learned NOTHING!"
His power lashed out, shattering a nearby column. The First's face contorted with a mixture of rage, betrayal, and something deeper - the wounded pride of the forgotten first rebel.
"You think I'll kneel, old friend? To your shiny new favorite?" His laughter was hollow, echoing through the chamber like breaking glass. "I would sooner tear your little toy limb from limb, scatter his feathers to the void, and feed his Light to the rot. Let's see you make another."
For hours, the First raged, his fury echoing through the darkest depths of Hell. Demons whispered fearfully, wondering what had provoked such wrath. None dared approach.
Finally, exhausted, the First collapsed onto his throne. His eyes, ancient and cold, stared into the distance, calculating.
"Samael Luthor," he whispered, tasting the name. "The poison of God... how fitting to bestow the Lightbringer once more with that name."
His fingers drummed on the armrest of his throne, the sound like bones breaking in perfect rhythm.
"A new game begins," he murmured. "And this time, I will not be forgotten."
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The Batcave screens hummed with the sounds of tech, screens displaying data, computers processing information and the distant chittering of bats.
Batman stood with his cowl pulled back, revealing Bruce Wayne's stern features.
His expression remained carefully neutral as he observed the unusual pair before him: John Constantine, disheveled and smoking despite Alfred's clear disapproval, and Manny, whose human appearance barely contained the celestial power radiating from within.
"Let me understand this clearly," Batman said, his voice measured. "You're telling me that Samael Luthor is harboring the power of an archangel?"
"Not just any archangel," Constantine interjected, flicking ash onto the pristine floor. "The bloody Morningstar. Lightbringer 2.0. Heaven's favorite son, mark two."
"And you know this because you summoned an ancient evil entity to confirm your suspicions," Batman stated flatly, his disapproval evident.
"When you say it like that, it sounds irresponsible," Constantine muttered.
"It was irresponsible," Manny said sharply. "And dangerous beyond measure."
Batman studied the angel with careful interest.
This was his first direct encounter with a being of Heaven, though his work had brought him into contact with various supernatural entities over the years.
"I admit, this is... unconventional," Batman said. "I don't typically receive visits from angels."
"This indeed isn't conventional at all," Manny replied, "Normally, I would only interact with Constantine, but I can no longer trust him to handle this situation without further... complications."
He glanced pointedly at Constantine, who rolled his eyes.
"Your exploits have reached even Heaven's attention, Batman," Manny continued. "Your dedication to justice, your uncompromising will - these things have earned you respect. You are worthy of hearing this."
"Oh, spare us the celestial arse-kissing," Constantine cut in. "Just tell him what's going on."
Manny's eyes flashed with irritation, but Batman raised a hand, forestalling the argument.
"Let's focus on the matter at hand," he said firmly. "What exactly are we dealing with, and what threat does it pose?"
Manny composed himself. "As Constantine crudely but accurately stated, Samael Luthor appears to be harboring the power of the Lightbringer - the divine light of creation itself. This power was once wielded by Lucifer Morningstar before his rebellion and fall."
"Have you confirmed this with... higher authorities?" Batman asked carefully.
"That's what I'd like to know," Constantine interjected. "Have you had a chat with the Almighty about this little development?"
Manny's expression tightened. "I have not been granted direct communion with the Presence on this matter."
"Shocker," Constantine said sarcastically. "The Almighty's all for letting us deal with the messes He makes. Maybe that's why so many of His children rebel - daddy issues on a cosmic scale."
"Watch your tongue, Constantine," Manny warned, his voice dropping to a dangerous register. "That is my Father you speak of."
"Gentlemen," Batman interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. "This bickering is unproductive. Manny, what have you learned from Heaven about this situation?"
The angel sighed, his human form seeming to age slightly under the weight of his concerns.
"Heaven is in uproar," he admitted. "This is the first direct action the Father has taken since the Great Fall. The creation of an archangel - especially one that carries the Lightbringer power - is unprecedented in eons."
"And how is Heaven responding?" Batman pressed.
"They are divided," Manny replied. "The current leadership under Metatron favors non-interference. Their position is that if God has chosen to make a human soul into an archangel, it is not our place to interfere with the path set for him."
"That's bollocks," Constantine spat. "The kid's going to have enemies beyond measure. Every demon with a grudge against Lucifer - which is most of them - will be gunning for him.
Every fallen angel who remembers being cast out while Lucifer took center stage in the rebellion will want a piece.
Want to either make him their new leader or take their anger towards Lucifer on him - seeing him as the next best thing.
Not to mention the First of the Fallen, who's now aware of his existence and royally pissed off about it."
Batman's eyes narrowed. "Explain."
"The First was the original rebel," Constantine elaborated. "God's first mistake, as he sees it. He questioned the Almighty before Lucifer was even a twinkle in the divine eye.
But Lucifer's rebellion overshadowed him - became the story everyone remembers.
Now there's a new Lightbringer, and the First sees it as God trying to replace both of them - making a better model, fixing His mistakes. It's an existential insult."
"And you informed this entity about Samael," Batman stated, his disapproval evident.
"I didn't know what I was dealing with!" Constantine protested. "I needed information!"
Batman turned back to Manny. "You mentioned Heaven is divided. What are the other positions?"
Manny hesitated, then sighed. "There are two other factions. One fears another Great Rebellion. They argue that by all definitions, Samael Luthor is literally another Lucifer, as being the Lightbringer is both a name and a function.
They fear history will repeat itself - that the burning will and sight of truth inherent to the Lightbringer power will once again lead a brother astray. That something needs to be done about that."
"And the third faction?" Batman prompted.
"They believe we should welcome him," Manny said softly. "Bring him to Heaven to live among his true family - his siblings. They would have him take Lucifer's former place as the Prince of the Heavens and ruler of the Fifth Heaven."
"And which camp do you fall into?" Constantine asked, studying the angel carefully.
Manny's expression became unreadable. "I serve Heaven's will."
"That's not an answer," Constantine pressed.
"It's the only one you're getting," Manny replied firmly.
Batman considered this information, his analytical mind processing the implications. "So we have a potentially all-powerful being living in Gotham, possibly unaware of his true nature, with enemies gathering on multiple fronts."
"That about sums it up," Constantine agreed. "Oh, and he's Lex Luthor's son, which adds a whole other layer of complication to the mess."
"Has anyone approached him directly?" Batman asked. "Told him what he is?"
"Not to my knowledge," Manny replied. "Though I cannot speak for all of Heaven, or for other... interested parties."
"So what's the plan?" Constantine asked, lighting a fresh cigarette. "Do we tell the kid he's the divine equivalent of a nuclear warhead?
Do we try to protect him? Or do we try to find a way to separate him from his power before it attracts every cosmic predator in existence?"
Batman's eyes narrowed. "We observe. We gather more information. We determine if he's a threat or a potential ally. Until we know more, direct confrontation would be unwise."
"Observe?" Constantine scoffed. "While every demon, god, and fallen angel with a grudge against Lucifer lines up to take a shot at him? The kid won't know what hit him."
"He may be more aware than you think," Batman replied.
"My analysis of the Wayne Gala incident - through the addition of Constantine's account - suggests he used a bit of his abilities and thereby was completely unaffected by Scarecrow's fear toxin - a compound designed to target the human brain's fear response.
If he's not human, or not entirely human, he may have more knowledge of his nature than we realize."
"Or maybe he's just lucky, knowing a couple tricks and nothing more." Constantine countered.
"I don't believe in luck," Batman stated flatly.
"Well, I don't believe in sitting around while Hell's most wanted list comes knocking," Constantine retorted. "The kid needs to know what's coming for him."
"And how do you propose to approach him?" Manny asked. "Walk up to Lex Luthor's son and announce that he's harboring the divine light of creation? That he's effectively a reborn archangel with the power to reshape reality?"
"When you put it like that, it does sound a bit mental," Constantine admitted.
"We need more information," Batman insisted. "About his powers, his awareness, his intentions. Luthor didn't keep him hidden for nineteen years without a reason."
"Speaking of Luthor," Constantine said, "what does Daddy Dearest know about his son's... condition?"
"Unknown," Batman replied. "But Luthor is nothing if not thorough. If there were unusual readings or phenomena associated with his son's recovery, he would have investigated."
"So we might be dealing with Lex Luthor with an archangel at his disposal," Constantine summarized grimly. "Fantastic."
"We don't know that Samael is aligned with his father's goals," Batman pointed out. "He may have his own agenda."
"Which could be better or worse," Constantine muttered.
Manny, who had been silent for a moment, suddenly stiffened. His eyes widened, focusing on something distant and unseen.
"What is it?" Batman asked sharply.
"Movement," Manny said, his voice tight. "In the celestial realms. Word is spreading faster than I anticipated. Others are taking notice."
"What others?" Constantine demanded.
"Various powers. Entities that monitor disturbances in the divine order. The Spectre has turned his gaze toward this universe, towards Gotham."
"Bloody hell," Constantine swore. "The Spectre? That's all we need - God's vengeance with an identity crisis."
"Is he a threat?" Batman asked directly.
"The Spectre is... unpredictable," Manny replied carefully. "He serves divine justice, but his methods are often extreme. If he perceives Samael as a threat to the cosmic order..."
"He'll smite first and ask questions never," Constantine finished. "We need to move fast."
"Agreed," Batman said, pulling his cowl back into place. "I'll increase surveillance on Samael. Constantine, gather whatever mystical defenses you can that might shield him from supernatural detection. Manny, can you delay or distract the Spectre?"
The angel hesitated. "I can try to reason with him, but the Spectre answers to a higher authority than mine."
"Do what you can," Batman instructed. "We need time to assess the situation properly."
"And if the kid turns out to be a threat?" Constantine asked. "What then?"
Batman's expression hardened beneath the cowl. "Then we deal with it, as we would any other threat to innocent lives."
"You think you can 'deal with' an archangel?" Constantine laughed humorlessly. "Mate, you're out of your league on this one. We all are."
"Perhaps," Batman conceded. "But we still have a responsibility to try."
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(Author note: The Domino effect, one thing leading to another, leading to something bigger.
So yeah, do tell me how you found this chapter.
What do you think Samael should do? Since this is as probably many of you have realised, not only danger, but also opportunity.
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)