Oceans Wrath (A Percy Jackson/Young Justice crossover) Book 1

Chapter 3 - Doors Of Death

Los Angeles

John Constantine was having a bloody awful day. And it had nothing to do with the exorcism he just preformed down in San Diego the previous night. That was quite easy honestly. Little bit of chanting here, a crucifix there, and voila! Demon exorcised. Peace of cake.

No, that's wasn't it. It wasn't even because he was out of gin and tonic, his preferred beverage of choice. He can easily get more. He wishes it was something like that. Problems like that seem so simple now.

So you may be wondering, what could possibly have happened to John to make his day so bad? Well, it's simple really. Etrigan the Demon. He wasn't mad at the demon in any way, shape or form. He was just doing his job. It was the message Etrigan passed on to John the previous night that had him book a flight to LA ASAP. And he was pissed.

So there John Constantine was, catching an Uber to a certain bar in Downtown Los Angeles, very much mad.

'What the bloody hell could that weasel possibly want with me now?' John was wondering to himself as they pulled up to the nightclub called Lux. Paying the driver, he got out and went inside the building, taking the elevator up to the bar and dance floor level.
Once the elevator dinged and opened, he sighed and walked out, only to be greeted by a whole swarm of people dancing and drinking.

'Where the bloody hell is he?' He thought to himself, shoving his hands in his trench coat pockets and walking out onto the dance floor.
After not finding the person he was looking for, he went over to the bar and ordered a glass of gin, figuring if the person he's meeting with wanted him to show up, he would just have to find John. It was pretty early in the evening after all. Who knew what the man in question was doing at 8 at night. If you could even call him a man that is.

After about half an hour of waiting and drinking some gin, John was starting to get irritated. "Screw this," he said out loud, turning to leave only to be greeted with the one who called him here in the first place.

"Johnny boy, oh how I've missed you," John turned around to see a man in a black and red suite walk up. As always, he was impeccably dressed, which annoyed John.

"Lucy, to what do I owe the pleasure?" John's voice dripping with sarcasm as he rolled his eyes.

Lucifer just shook his head. "Now, now John, there's no need for that. What if I just wanted to catch up with an old friend, hmm? Maybe grab a few drinks, sit back, see what each other have been up to these last few years?"
John laughed without humor and took another shot of gin, requesting another. "See Lucy, you don't seem like that kind of man who would just, 'catch up' with someone, especially a man like me after what I did."

Lucifer shrugged. "Well you may be right there, but I have changed for your information. I help stop murders now, so there's a plus, eh Johnny?"

Constantine shook his head. "The devil and his girlfriend solving homicides? There's something I never thought would happen. Couldn't believe it myself when I heard you were 'turning over a new leaf' so to speak." He then looked at Lucifer in the eye. "Now why did you really have Etrigan summon me here? I know you don't lie so just get it over with so I can leave."

The man laughed, "Same old Johnny, business first, pleasure later. I like it!" "That only goes when I'm dealing with blokes like you, Lucy. Everyone else? Pleasure first, for the most part at least." Lucifer raised his hands, "In any case, I guess we should get down to business then John. But I'd rather discuss this matter privately. Let's go to my penthouse, shall we?" Constantine downed his newly acquired shot of gin, stood up, and followed Lucifer back to the elevator.

As they rode up to Lucifer's penthouse, he turned to John and started speaking. "Listen John, I have a problem, nay, this world has a problem. I had to tell Chloe I was going to be gone for a couple days so I could take care of it, and I need your help." The elevator opened up to his penthouse and the two walked out, John lighting a cigarette as he did. "What sort of problem could the devil have that needs my help?" John inquired, walking to the bar.

Lucifer started to turn around and speak, "The type where the world is in dange- is that a cigarette? John for crying out loud there's a balcony right over there!" John shrugged, pouring himself yet another glass of gin. "But the bar is over here."

"Touché, anyways, as I was saying. This world is in danger John, and I need your help to save it as it is a very, 'otherworldly' problem."
John looked up up confused. "Let me get this straight. You want me, the bloody bloke who tricked the three Lords of Hell, to help you, ruler of said place, to save earth from an 'otherworldly' threat of sorts. Bloody Hell Lucy, what type of threat makes you come to me for that?"

Lucifer turned to walk out over the balcony, John following him close behind,, cigarette and drink in hand.

"Tell me John, do you know of Thanatos?"
Constantine looked up in surprise, he definitely wasn't expecting something like that. "Well yeah, Greek god of death and all that. Why?"
"Do you know about the multiverse?"

"I'm pretty sure, infinite amount of universes that are similar in some way or another, right?"
Lucifer nodded, "What you might not know, there is only one Hell that spans the multiverse. Hell doesn't change, not really. But John, just as other gods exist, other Realities also exist where said gods in question reign supreme over all others, including my father. Hell, my father doesn't even exist in some of them."

This definitely took John by surprise. "Wait, you're dear old dad doesn't exist in some realities? Well shit, where are those at, I want to go there," he joked.

Lucifer shook his head. "The beings in question sometimes are worse. Mingling with mortals and all that, generally making the place worse. Now while this place makes gods stronger than most because of the abundance of magic and what not, a lot of them have left this plane of existence, leaving their domains and what not just waiting to be claimed. But there's no one to claim them, and if someone from another reality were to claim them, this world would be in for a shock. They would have the potential to make that Kryptonian look like a child. It could be very dangerous John."

Constantine was still confused. "How can someone even travel through realities? Is that even possible?"

Lucifer looked over at him. "It's very possible. Have you ever heard of the Door of Death? They are run by Thanatos, but he does not chain them for fear they would used for evil purposes. So the Doors often relocate across whatever world those deities reign. However, sometimes, the doors end up in another reality by mistake, and there are beings who take advantage of them. Do you know where the Doors of Death lead from?"

Constantine shook his head. "I don't believe I do, but if I had to guess, if they belong to Thanatos, then I'm assuming the Underworld then?"

Lucifer laughed. "Oh I wish. Sometimes yes, if that was the case we would be very lucky. Oh no, usually it's much worse. Tartarus, the very embodiment of the Greek's Hell itself, where nightmares walk, creatures of the night lurk. Where fallen gods are cast as punishment, forced to roam the Hellish landscape. It's quite beautiful really, but that's besides the point."

"Wait a bloody second. Are you trying to tell me that these so called 'Doors of Death' that leads to Hell is on this Earth?"

"It's worse than that Johnny. I can feel it's presence. The Doors of Death aren't just in this world. They're in LA. And we only have three days to find it, along with anything else that comes through the Doors, and kill them."

This definitely shocked him. Sure, he felt the presence of Hell in LA, but he always did, so he just assumed it was because the Devil himself had taken up residence in the City of Angels. Now to be told that another realities Hell might release their own demons in this planet? Well John wasn't sure what to think.

He finally spoke up, "So I take it you know where the Doors are then?"

Lucifer smiled, "Of course, John. So what do you say? Down to kill some Hellish beasties?"