Aden Strong: Avatar In DC

(General P.O.V) (1 day into Aden's Seclusion)

A tall figure dressed in a brown hood, holding a huge book in his hands, that was bound to his wrist by a chain that ended in a manacle, stilled in place. He opened the huge book, cover made from the hide of a beast that has never existed and closed it a second later. An impassive look crossed his face. Not unusual for him, for his visage was always kept carefully blank.

He blinked his fully gray eyes and turned around.
"I was not expecting to see you for another 6 years."
The voice that came out of the figure was dry and gravely showing that he didn't use it regularly.
"Yeah, well something came up."
Lucifer replied, walking further into the light from the shadows cast upon the ground by the tall bookshelves arranged throughout the room.
"I love what you've done with the place, Destiny. And by that, I mean… nothing."
The library was the same as the last time Lucifer had been here. Time was kinda wonky in any of the Endless' realm so he couldn't be bothered to recall when that was, only that it had been a very long time. Getting here was still a pain of course. The realm being a garden of Maze's that was infinite in all it's encompassing context, being the representation of the book of destiny. For Lucifer though, it was super easy barely an inconvenience getting there. Then again, most things were when you had the power of bullshit on your side.

"Speak, what do you need of me?"
Destiny brusquely told the Former Archangel. Lucifer did not take the comment personally. He knew that Destiny wasn't someone you could hold a fun little conversation with, or reminisce about the good old days. Not really. And Lucifer could even appreciate that. There were a few things he hated more than getting his time wasted.
"I have an offer. I want you to check something for me in your big book of destiny, fate and all that jazz. In return, I'll owe you a favor."
Lucifer replied.

Destiny was ready to refuse up until Lucifer's final words. ' A favor from Him?' he couldn't pass up on such a deal. Destiny gave a nod, making Lucifer's face split into a smile.
"Excellent. Let's get to it then…"

(Elsewhere) sometime Later.

Nepal. Maze bent down and touched the soot covering the ground. She brought her finger to her nose and smelled it. Her face wrinkled in a frown. The soot was the charred ash of human blood and flesh. She rose up and walked around the sacrificial magical circle, studying it's make and construction. The circle was burnt onto the hardened rock in one of the mountain peaks, deep in the Kangchenjunga.

Snow storms would have mostly caused the circle to be covered by now but the residue mystical energy tampered with that, hence for anyone flying above the peaks of the mountain, they would be surprised to see the pentagram branded on to the ground. Like an ugly yet intricately drawn tattoo on skin.

She took a few pictures from the camera she had taken to carrying around these days. For record keeping of course. Its not like she was interested in how beautiful the earth actually was. Beautiful and different. Far from the Pit, which was just worse in every way possible. Not for her or her brothers and sisters though. That was their home. But for anyone else...there was a reason why hell was hellish.

She snorted at the dumb joke, feeling as if Aden was rubbing off on her and took a few more pictures of the scene. The Camera then disappeared, teleported out by the Lilim.

"Maze, there you are. What are you doing in this dreadful..."

Lucifer's words were cut off as his gaze landed on the sacrificial circle on the ground. He had just appeared from Destiny's realm.

"I see I'm not the only one who had an eventful day"

He commented, while motioning to the circle on the ground, one hand in his trouser pocket. Maze crossed the distance towards him before crouching and touching the soot. She held up her finger and showed him.

"Ash from sacrificed humans. I recognize this from..."

"Solomon's Grimoire."

He finished, studying it in interest.

"Who do you think it is this time?"

He asked Maze, studying the Circle and surrounding areas. Maze snorted,

"In case you forgot, you're the one with the Omniscience. I'm just the 'belle' with sharp daggers and a devil may care attitude."

His eyes glowed red, the world opened up more to him as he delved deeper into what had happened here.

"Oh Maze, you're much more than that. No one quite brews a good cup of coffee like you do, my dear."

Maze rolled her eyes and got back to studying the circle. Her eyes lit up just as she thought of something else.

"That node of intersection between the inner circle and the points of the triangles. The runic inscriptions... Lucifer, I think I might know what this pentagram was meant for."

The devil lost the red glow in his eyes. A killing intent suddenly exploded out of him. Maze struggled to breath and looked on in shock.

All around the world, sensitive mystical practitioners sensed the change. Zatara was in a Justice League meeting when his eyes widened and he hastily did the sign of the cross. Madame Xanadu was reading a client's fortune when her hand shook and she dropped the cards.

"Sorry."

She plastered on a smile and carried on with what she was doing. Jason blood was in his house in England, meditating to keep a leash on the urges his other half gave him when his face changed. That brief power...

Then...just as quickly as it had appeared it disappeared.

A small breeze blew through the area and Maze welcomed the slight chill.

"It's the transfiguration of human souls into ice Alamentals for an ice legion. A vanguard to take over the planet. That's why he drew it here in Nepal. The tall mountains would become a good nesting place up until he was ready to usher in a new ice age. A brain dead idea for sure, but no that is not why I want to skin the one responsible for this Maze."

Lucifer explained seeing the questioning look his companion was giving him. Maze calmed herself down, struggling to forget the weak but for her and everything else, overpowering outpour of Lucifer's killing Intent. She quickly connected the dots.

"Then the reason you almost went nuclear is...wait, the way the circle was hastily left and the absence of the culprit. It's almost as if they ran away." Maze suddenly looked at Lucifer.

"You. The only person scary enough to cause a master of the mystic arts such as whoever is responsible to flee is...you. They must have heard it from...Mammon..."

She finally understood why Lucifer was mad.

"Someone defied me Mazekeen. Someone let Mammon escape and now all the demon lords know that I am on earth. Hell is in chaos."

He informed her.

"And now anyone who was up to something on Earth has packed it up and left."

She concluded.

"And with Aden's presence blinding me from anything or anyone he will come across in the future...we find ourselves in quite the conundrum."

Lucifer finished gravely. Now that the Demon Lords knew he was away from Hell, Lucifer would either need to appoint an official stand in Ruler or go back and calm the chaos down. His Vacation was going to be over before it even started and he. Was. Pissed.

"What did Destiny tell you about Aden?"

Maze wondered.

"Nothing I don't already know...which is little about a lot of things."

Lucifer's face turned serious.

"Maze, I felt the brief surge of divine energy from him. It was... unexpected."

She nodded in understanding.

"He is growing faster than you envisioned."

The Devil shook his head.

"Yes and no...his growth in power was never a question of when but a question of what could push him further and further. Challenges, obstacles... insurmountable odds. He thrives in that state. But, as a being aligned to Order and Balance... being the concept itself in the manifestation of his elemental powers,the building blocks of the material world...his origin should be similar to Dream, destiny and the rest of the Endless yet...that surge of divinity, felt closer to an actual god than a concept."

Lucifer explained. That was the reason he had taken it upon himself to search out Destiny.

"That will put him on the radar even more than he already is!"

Maze exclaimed.

"Take into account that my attention will now be needed elsewhere and..."

The Devil added,

"He will effectively be alone. A young god vs pantheons that have existed for billions of years. That's the extreme version of the plan you had. To put him in a position where he will be forced to grow or perish."

Maze concluded with a sigh. Things had gotten way out of hand.

"There is always something worse than death Maze." Lucifer reminded her. A brief silence settled between the two.

"Well...if this is what having a kid feels like, remind me to never try for one."

Maze finally said.

"Perhaps, I can be of assistance."

A deep voice sounded out. It belonged to a black man wearing a black suit and hat. On his back was a long cloak that seemed to sway even in the absence of a breeze.

"Stranger."

Lucifer nodded as knew the man.

"Things might be very dire if you came to me personally."

Luci said, a smile on his face yet the cheer missing from his eyes. One wrong perceived move or annoyance and The Phantom Stranger knew he wouldn't walk out of here. The Devil seemed pissed.

"The one responsible threatens the continued survival of the human race. I had to intervene. News of your presence on earth has gone around the supernatural circles. To that effect, he has seen it fit to take his operation... elsewhere. To wait you out." He paused and turned his head slightly to the sky.

"He has created his new base on Pluto. Far out of reach from the likes of Zatara, Blood and any other supernatural assistance I am able to access. Belial must be stopped before his next plan catches everyone off guard."