(Aden's P.O.V)

I watched as Black Adam's breathing grew shallower. Adam had accelerated healing, gained from Mehen, so it stood to reason that despite the nature of the injury, he wasn't going to kick the bucket that easily. But I could see it in his eyes that he knew he was at my mercy. I could easily kill him right now if I wanted to. And that coupled with the fact that, Adam didn't know the meaning of the word give up, made me take some extreme measures.

Erratic power started brimming inside him but a mind stun, which is just a crude telepathic hit to the mind sent him to dream land. His upper body flopped back to the ground like a puppet with it's strings cut. Blood from the wound Equity had left on his chest started pouring out in faster quantities. Damn, I was getting used to this. Not the blood, the mind attacks. Though the only reason it had even worked on the champion of the gods was because of he was badly injured. For added measure, I used dragon fist, the air variation of chi blocking to ensure that he wouldn't suddenly spring up and attack me. Doing that had the risk of worsening his injuries, but I had Saisei who could stabilize his condition.

An in depth scan of his soul revealed that although this dude was violent, arrogant and ruthless…he wasn't far gone. Not like Vertigo. It's ironic actually, how a normal human being like Vertigo could actually be worse than someone with the power of a god or several gods in this case and a penchant for violence. That didn't mean Adam was a good person. Far from it. But…his power made him more valuable alive than dead. That and the fact that Equity had behaved like a demon sword when exposed to his blood..convinced me to let him live. The sword in question almost hummed in approval.

A boom tube appeared below us and we disappeared into my realm. Black Adam could have some use to me. I especially wanted to know why my lightning bending seemed to have no effect on him when I remember that thunderbolts were also part of his weakness. Or am I wrong? Fuck, DC's timeline has always been confusing. I gave a final look to the huge Injustice League headquarters that was now burning with hellfire.

A single minute later, I appeared back in the swamps after tucking my prisoner away in a secure place. Saisei had stabilized his condition enough that he wouldn't die on me before we could…talk. I twirled Equity in my hands while walking towards the huge but now wrecked building. Smoke was covering the area already and with the way no plants or vegetation was trying to attack me, I think it was safe to assume that Ivy, Wotan, Scarecrow and any other supervillain, we hadn't anticipated were dealt with by Etrigan.

I only took a few steps before a figure appeared from within the smoke. I stopped and waited, before easing out of my battle ready stance once I felt through my spiritual attunement who it was.

"You look like you've been through hell."

I commented with an upturn of my lips. Blood sighed in exasperation.

"I loved that shirt."

He responded.

His clothes were horribly burnt but fortunately, he didn't seem to have any injuries.

"So…what happened?"

I asked while looking further behind him. My air sense and energy sense were still behaving weirdly so I couldn't see it for myself.

"They escaped through a portal once Etrigan destroyed the antenna the woman was using to control the plants." He narrowed his eyes. "The portal looked similar to the ones you use actually."

"I'm not surprised. It's clear they were working under or with someone else. The way they escaped was by using a device called a Fatherbox to open a stable portal to a place the user has been to before. My portals are different though." I told him without explaining more. "Still can't believe you took on an immortal Sorcerer, Poison Ivy who was clearly in her element and that other dude by yourself. You're packing some real power underneath that prim and proper stiff British demeanor, Blood."

The compliment was well deserved though it was a way to change the subject.

Blood saw through my intentions but chose to let it go. He looked back at the wrecked building and frowned.

"Etrigan…he had some help from an acquittance of mine."

He stated, surprising me a little. An acquaintance? Who could he be…I then remembered how the fire from my fight with Adam had caught on the trees only to be snuffed out right after. I levelled a stare at Blood.

"Lemme guess, huge, green and mean. Concerned only about protecting green life, fuck everything else right? You talking about Swamp Thing?"

Now it was Jason's time to look surprised.

"You have met him before?"

I shook my head at his question, waving my hands in scepticism.

"Nah. He's not real."

My response confused him.

"What? I assure you…"

I slung a hand around his shoulder and chuckled.

"No, I'm just messing with you man. Trust me, that kind of a guy, leaves an impression."

He sighed, shrugging off my hold and walking away.

"Children."

He said, which made me laugh and hurry up to catch up with him, only for my foot to sink into the sludge of the swamp up to the thigh.

"Goddamit!"

My curse made him look back at me disapprovingly. The look on his face changed from a frown to a slight smile when he saw my state. The older demonologist held out a hand and pulled me up.

"Thanks. I understand building an evil Lair in places where they aren't easily accessible is the whole fucking point but god! A swamp? Are you kidding me?"

My rant was carried out as I used air to remove the mud and water as best as I could.

"They chose this place because of the natural mystic energy concentrated here. Such volume of magic cannot be found in places with a lot of human activity."

Blood explained while casting his sight over the surroundings. Could that be the reason why my senses were acting weirdly in this place? The miasma totally confused my perception.

"Mmh. I suppose it makes sense. Though, that begs the question, if human activity is the reason why natural energy is lower in other places, why the hell did Swamp Thing decide to help us? It seems like his job would be easier if there weren't any humans around."

Blood sat on a half rotten trunk and gazed out into the swamp.

"It certainly would be. But humanity is necessary. It's how the parliaments maintain a balance. Plus, although he's different now, Alec was human once, he understands that just as there are bad people…there are good people as well."

He rose up after saying his piece. Seeing as I was done with cleaning myself up a little, I did too.

A boom tube appeared infront of us.

"What now?"

I asked him before we went through.

"I have to find Alyssa before she locates the fountain. That much power should not be in anyone's hands."

I sighed at his response.

"I have something else to deal with." Before he could protest, I raised a hand.

"I know…we made a deal. You help me with my little problem and I do the same. But, what I need to do is equally as important if not more."

Blood thought about it before giving a curt nod.

"Very well. Thank you for everything else."

I nodded and we walked through, finding ourselves on Sanctuary. Blood looked around in slight wonder before the sound of a boom tube activating stole his attention. This time two boom tubes appeared before us.

"That will take you Xanadu's."

I pointed and he nodded, starting to walk away towards it. I sighed inwardly, welp time to start looking for another magician to help me. Jason got within close proximity to the portal before stopping. He sighed as if coming to a decision.

"Hey lad…maybe I can help you. Go to Giovanni Zatara, he owes me a favor. Tell him Jason Blood sent you. Tell him it's for Choronzon."

And with that, Blood plunged into the boom tube, leaving me standing in place, speechless. Zatara huh? I wonder where this 'adventure' of mine will take me next. Still, I was grateful for Jason. I had made a connection with an expert demonologist who knew a lot about the mystic arts, fought and defeated 3 supervillains, so the world could sleep a little safer now and I had a literal champion of the gods, imprisoned in my realm. All in all, this hadn't turned out bad. Not at all.

I looked at the MDP in my palm and frowned. Did Future Me know that this would happen? That in my quest to make sure he wouldn't fuck me over by leaving a hidden function in the device, I would personally interact with characters like Madame Xanadu, Jason Blood and now in the near future Zatara? Was it some kind of self fulfilling loop? Or had he changed his/my own future by leading me to these actions. Then again, I knew frighteningly little about him. And I tried my best not to think about the information he'd given me or else I would go insane with trying to come up with contingencies. I'm living my life the way I want.

I sent the MDP back into my hammerspace. Replacing it for Equity. The place I was going to next was actually very dangerous. I was going to see if I could break up a fight between a Czarnian and a Kryptonian. Oh Goodie. My feet started walking towards the boom tube with conviction. The world wasn't ready for The Man of Steel's death.

So I guess I know what's on my agenda now, time to save Superman.