đ If you'd like to support me or read EARLY ACCESS Chapters, you can find me on Patreon đ
 https://www.patreon.com/Its_Zack/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They assembled at Heroes for Hire's office at ten PM Constantine, Blade, Luke Cage, Danny Rand, Colleen Wing, Elsa Bloodstone, and to Constantine's surprise, Doctor Strange and Wong. The Sorcerer Supreme had decided the threat was significant enough to warrant direct intervention.
"Normally I'd stay in reserve," Strange explained, "but resurrecting Varnae could destabilize global supernatural equilibrium. I'm authorized by the Vishanti to prevent that."
The three Midnight Sons artifacts sat on the table the Medallion around Constantine's neck, the Darkhold Dagger in Elsa's skilled hands, and the Amulet of Sight which Strange wore. Each artifact pulsed with power, recognizing the presence of the others.
"They're resonating," Wong observed. "When all three artifacts are in proximity, they amplify each other's power. The Midnight Sons designed them to work in concert."
"Which gives us an advantage," Constantine said. "The Medallion protects against dark magic that should let me get close enough to disrupt the ritual. The Dagger can cut through mystical barriers and bindings perfect for freeing the prisoners. And the Amulet reveals hidden threats and weaknesses."
"Pretty convenient," Luke said. "Almost like these artifacts were specifically designed for this situation."
"Or this situation was engineered to force us to claim the artifacts," Strange said quietly. "I've been considering that possibility. The timing is suspicious Countess Varnae arrives, begins preparations for a ritual that requires the Midnight Sons artifacts to stop, and those artifacts have been dormant for fifty years. It feels orchestrated."
"By who?" Danny asked.
"That's what concerns me." Strange's expression was troubled. "But regardless of the manipulation, the threat is real. Seventeen people need rescue, and the Varnae resurrection must be prevented. We proceed, but cautiously."
Blade laid out the tactical plan on a holographic display Strange's technology integrated with Blade's surveillance. The Tribeca building glowed in three dimensions, marked with vampire positions and mystical barriers.
"Entry point is the parking garage," Blade explained. "Constantine and I go in first, using the Medallion to shield us from detection wards. We'll secure the ground floor and signal for phase two."
"Phase two is Luke, Danny, and Elsa," Constantine continued. "You'll ascend to floor fifteen, where the prisoners are being held. The Dagger should cut through their containment. Get them out through the parking garage Wong will have a portal ready for evacuation."
"Phase three is me," Strange said. "I'll engage any Elder vampires that respond to the intrusion, keeping them busy while Constantine reaches the penthouse."
"Phase four is the ritual disruption," Constantine finished. "I get to the penthouse, use the artifacts to break the resurrection spell, and hopefully don't die in the process. Colleen, you're floating provide support wherever needed."
"Simple," Colleen said dryly. "What could possibly go wrong?"
"Everything," Blade said. "Which is why we have contingencies. If anyone gets overwhelmed, retreat. If the ritual starts before we reach the penthouse, Strange will collapse the building's mystical foundations bring the whole thing down."
"With the prisoners inside?" Luke's voice was sharp.
"As a last resort only," Strange clarified. "I'll do everything possible to avoid that. But if Varnae resurrects, the casualties won't be seventeen people they'll be millions. Billions, potentially."
The weight of that settled over the group. They were walking into a scenario where success meant saving seventeen lives, but failure meant global catastrophe.
"Any questions?" Constantine asked.
"Just one," Elsa said. "After this is over, assuming we survive, what happens to the artifacts?"
"They go to whoever proves worthy," Constantine said. "The Midnight Sons weren't an organization with formal membership. They were warriors who answered the call when darkness threatened. If we survive tonight, and if those artifacts choose us, then I suppose we become the new Midnight Sons."
"No pressure," Danny muttered.
They departed at eleven-fifteen, traveling in two vehicles to avoid attention. Constantine rode with Blade, the silence between them comfortable. Two professionals preparing for a dangerous job.
"You've done this before," Blade said finally. "Led people into battles they might not survive."
"Once. Newcastle. It went badly."
"But you're doing it again anyway."
"Because the alternative is worse." Constantine touched the Medallion. "What about you? You said you work alone, but you assembled this team without much argument."
"I've been hunting vampires for forty years," Blade said. "In that time, I've learned that some threats are too big for one person. The Countess is one of those threats. Pride kills in this line of work. Pragmatism keeps you alive."
They arrived at the Tribeca building at eleven-forty. Constantine extended his mystical senses and immediately recoiled the air was thick with dark magic, ritual energy building toward midnight.
"They've started the preliminary incantations," he told Blade. "We're running out of time."
"Then let's move."
They entered the parking garage through a maintenance entrance, Blade's lockpicks making short work of the security. Inside, Constantine felt the Medallion activate automatically, creating a bubble of protection around them. The detection wards slid past without registering their presence.
Two vampire guards stood near the elevator bay. Blade gestured a complex series of hand signals. Constantine nodded, understanding. He'd draw their attention; Blade would strike from behind.
Constantine stepped into view, deliberately making noise. Both vampires turned, their eyes reflecting red in the dim light.
"Evening, lads," Constantine said cheerfully. "I'm here about the resurrection ritual. Terrible idea, that. Mind if we have a chat?"
The vampires charged.
Blade emerged from shadows, twin silver stakes in hand. He moved with inhuman speed, matching the vampires' supernatural reflexes. Two quick strikes, two vampires turning to dust.
"Ground floor secure," Blade said into his comm. "Phase two, go."
On floor fifteen, Luke Cage crashed through a stairwell door with Elsa and Danny behind him. Three vampire guards turned in surprise.
"Surprise," Luke said, then punched the nearest vampire so hard it flew through a wall.
Elsa moved like a dancer, her monster-hunting blade finding hearts with surgical precision. Danny's glowing fist struck like a thunderbolt, his chi energy particularly effective against the undead.
Within minutes, the guards were dust and they'd reached the prisoner containment area. Seventeen people men, women, ranging from teenagers to elderly hung suspended in glowing mystical chains.
"The Dagger," Elsa said, pulling out the artifact.
She touched the Darkhold Dagger to the first chain. The mystical binding shattered like glass. One by one, they freed the prisoners, catching them as they collapsed from exhaustion and fear.
"Portal's ready," Wong's voice came through the comm. "Bring them through."
A shimmering doorway appeared, leading to the Sanctum's recovery room. They began moving prisoners through, but Constantine heard Wong curse.
"We've got problems. Elder vampires heading to your position. Three of them."
"I'll handle it," Strange's voice, calm and commanding. "Continue the evacuation."
Constantine and Blade reached floor sixteen, heading for the penthouse stairs. The ritual energy was overwhelming now, making Constantine's teeth ache. Through the Amulet's power which somehow extended to all artifact bearers he could see the mystical web being woven above them.
"They're ten minutes from completion," he told Blade. "We need to move faster."
They burst into the penthouse stairwell and immediately encountered Countess Varnae herself.
She was everything Constantine had feared ancient power wrapped in aristocratic beauty, her eyes containing centuries of malevolence. She smiled at Blade.
"Daywalker. You've pursued me across continents and decades. Did you really think you could stop me here, in my place of power?"
"I've killed stronger vampires than you," Blade said, drawing his sword.
"But never one with this much preparation." The Countess gestured, and the stairwell filled with vampires ten, fifteen, twenty of them, pouring from doorways that shouldn't exist.
"Constantine, go!" Blade shouted, charging into the vampire horde. "Stop the ritual!"
Constantine hesitated for only a second, then ran, leaving Blade to fight alone. It felt wrong, cowardly. But the ritual had to be stopped.
He burst onto the penthouse roof and found himself in a nightmare.
The roof had been transformed into a massive ritual site. A stone altar dominated the center, covered in blood and ancient symbols. Around it, twelve vampires chanted in languages predating Rome. And on the altar, bound in mystical chains, lay a body or what would become a body. Varnae's resurrection vessel, being woven from shadow and blood.
Constantine pulled out the Darkhold Dagger and the Medallion blazed with power. He felt the presence of past Midnight Sons, lending him strength.
"Right then," he muttered. "Let's do this."
He charged forward, the Medallion protecting him from the ritual's backlash. The chanting vampires turned, but Constantine was already among them, the Dagger cutting through their forms like shadows.
The ritual wavered, and Constantine reached the altar. He raised the Dagger, preparing to plunge it into the resurrection vessel
And froze.
The vessel's face had resolved into features. Young, male, human. Not Varnae, but someone else entirely. Someone Constantine recognized from Strange's files.
"Bloody hell," he whispered.
This wasn't a resurrection ritual. It was a transformation ritual. The Countess wasn't bringing back Varnae she was creating a new one, using a human host. And that host was someone Constantine knew.
His phone buzzed. A text from Strange:Â The artifacts are reacting. They're not stopping a resurrection they're facilitating it. Constantine, it's a trap. Get out NOW.
But it was too late.
The Medallion, the Dagger, and the Amulet all blazed simultaneously. Their combined power flowed into the altar, completing the ritual that Constantine had been trying to stop.
The vessel's eyes opened glowing red, filled with ancient hunger and terrible power.
Varnae had risen.
And Constantine had just helped make it happen.
Â
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
đ If you'd like to support me or read EARLY ACCESS Chapters, you can find me on Patreon đ
 https://www.patreon.com/Its_Zack/