Absolute King Chapter 21.

Chapter 21: Terms of resolve.

-0-

"Open them, this is your warning," Mark declared in a ferocious tone as the blades hovered menacingly around his form, their sharp edges glinting under the light, but Batman remained unfaltered, refusing to yield or respond, which only pushed Mark to send three of the blades forward in quick succession.

However, Batman reacted almost immediately, intercepting the attack with the precision of his boomerangs.

Mark had already anticipated such a maneuver, and when Batman and Robin attacked at once with their boomerangs, he was not caught off guard. He had foreseen the trajectory of their attacks and quickly raised his swords as a shield, absorbing the force of the impact as the boomerangs released a small, controlled explosion—an effect strong enough to incapacitate someone but deliberately restrained so as not to kill.

Without hesitation, Mark then sent his blades flying toward them, only for another figure to suddenly intrude upon the clash. With a single, sweeping spell, the stranger destroyed the blades effortlessly, shattering them in one decisive motion. This left Mark stunned, his eyes widening in surprise as he realized that someone possessed the power to destroy his blades so easily and without visible struggle.

The woman then stepped forward with a commanding presence, her arrival halting the two opposing parties that had been moments away from striking each other again.

Mark’s gaze landed on her, and in an instant, he recognized her immediately—it was Zatanna.

"Calm down, gentlemen," Zatanna said firmly, her voice carrying a weight that seemed to still the room itself, and immediately everyone who had been on edge found themselves quieting down.

"Zee, didn’t anticipate your arrival, luv," Constantine intruded, casually introducing himself in his usual careless tone. Zatanna turned her head toward him and shot him a cold, mocking stare, her eyes sharp and icy as though warning him to stay away and keep his distance.

"Wow, what’s with the cold stare, luv? Don’t tell me you’re still pissed about the other night," Constantine continued boldly, unbothered and still puffing his cigarette, which dangled from his lips. Batman, however, gave him a deathly glare as well, a reminder that he had already warned him that the tower was a no-smoking zone, but Constantine, being who he was, simply didn’t take orders from anyone.

Zatanna ignored Constantine completely and instead turned her attention toward Mark. Her gaze softened with kindness, her demeanor full of grace, as she seemed to understand perfectly what he was going through.

She knew deep down that if it were her father in such a situation, she would never waste a second before rushing out to help him. However, she also recognized that this was not a matter where emotions could lead; rationality and proper planning were crucial, because storming Santa Prisca without a strategy would mean certain death.

"Listen, Mark," Zatanna began gently, her voice steady but firm. "If you go there recklessly, things might get bloody. You must listen to Batman for now, and I promise you one thing—we will bring your father back safely." Her words reached him, cooling the fire in his chest, and slowly the swords that had surrounded him lowered, their tips pointing toward Batman and Robin before finally dissipating into shards of faint, glowing magical dust.

"I will agree to your terms," Mark responded after a moment, his tone sharp with conviction, "but only on one condition. I accompany you to Santa Prisca. I will follow every order, and I won’t stray from the plan. If you can’t accept that, then the deal is off." His condition made Batman hesitate, his expression unreadable behind the mask.

Zatanna knew this outcome was inevitable, and so she turned her eyes toward Batman, giving him a silent but firm look that practically spelled out her demand for him to agree. Batman, however, shook his head and refused.

"No. We can’t take such a risk," he said in his stoic, cold tone, his mask making the words sound even harsher. "He has no training in covert operations and could very well prove to be a liability in the mission, forcing us to protect him instead of focusing on the rescue."

"Just let the kid accompany us, this argument won’t e..." Zatanna began, but her words were cut off abruptly by Mark.

"Then if I become a hindrance, leave me behind," Mark said coldly.

That single, cutting line made even Zatanna flinch. She hadn’t expected his resolve to be so unshakable. It was as though he were clad in steel armor, unwavering and immovable in his decision.

"Damn, lad, you really are something else, ain’t you," Constantine said at last, his voice carrying a tone of amusement but also respect. "Okay then, I nominate for the kid to accompany us. Who else wants to throw in their poll?" Even Batman could see the determination in Mark’s eyes, and eventually he had no choice but to relent.

"Alright," Batman finally said, his voice grave. "He will come. But know this-if you become a liability, I will hold you to your word."

"Never expected you to back away from it," Mark shot back confidently.

"Damn, Batsy, you earn S-points for villain quotes," Constantine added with his usual sarcasm. "I always thought you played on the wrong side of the team. Maybe ever thought of stepping to the other side? Cause that would be quite boogers." Batman only let out a low, irritated hum, narrowing his eyes and choosing to ignore him altogether.

"The matter has been settled," Batman declared. "We begin extraction two hours from now. Be ready to move."

Robin then approached Mark, carrying his bad attitude with him. Whoever came up with the phrase “like father, like son” certainly wasn’t wrong.

"Hey, listen here," Robin seethed, his voice laced with barely contained rage. "If you become a drag out there and slow us down, I won’t hesitate. I will end you myself if I have to."

"Don’t worry about me, sidekick," Mark mocked in return, his tone dripping with defiance. "If it comes to that, I’ll gladly let you take my life—that is, if you can." His words made Robin bristle with anger before he finally turned and left. Mark knew full well that Robin had the advantage in combat skills and battlefield experience, but here and now, he held power—an arsenal of magical weapons at his disposal. He was already classified as a Wonder Woman threat level, which in his eyes placed him far above what Robin could hope to challenge.

The plane eventually rolled out, carrying them toward the island. The group was comprised of Batman, Mark, Robin, Zatanna, Constantine, and Katana, while Batgirl remained at the computer base, tasked with giving the team directions and surveillance updates through her network of nano drones.

While still on the helicopter, Mark turned inward, examining the system carefully. He evaluated his newly acquired phantasms and abilities, but what caught his attention most was the incantation for summoning the kings as his servants to fight alongside him.

The drawback, however, was clear—his mana reserves were not nearly strong enough to support such an act.

Determined, he allocated all of his accumulated points toward increasing his magical power.

After several minutes in flight, the plane finally arrived at Santa Prisca in camouflage mode. The team wore black clothing designed to serve as also a camouflage in the night, helping them avoid detection. Upon landing, the squad split into teams of two to patrol the island. Mark was paired with Zatanna, a pairing he did not find unfavorable at all.

He knew without question that if he had been partnered with Robin, the mission would not even reach its halfway point before collapsing.

Batman, cunning and wise, had grouped them according to their respective strengths.

Mark noticed how much easier it was for him to be around Zatanna, as she was the only one who seemed able to break through his guarded exterior. Together, they began infiltrating Santa Prisca, narrowly avoiding the many guards patrolling every corner of the island. To his surprise, Mark even noticed that members of the League of Assassins were among the guards, taking positions as leaders to the gang members scattered throughout.