Hey Guys,

Whew! Another chapter down.

Apologies for the rather short nature of this chapter, but I like the way this ended. Probably going to have to go back and advise when the actual Young Justice Storyline starts. In terms of timeline this is around November 2009, so a good six months or so before Young Justice kicks in.

That being said hope you are all still enjoying the ride.

Also heads up, kind of a controversial moment in this chapter. Just FYI.

Enjoy ladies and gents.

Chapter 9

General Wade Eiling was not having a good night.

Mobilizing the entire XVIII Airborne Corps out of Fort Bragg was no small feat, and would be bound to raise questions. Still it was necessary.

Ever since the Justice League showed up in 2003, the general made it a policy to always keep an eye on what they were up to. When the heroes operated individually throughout the 1990', the general had little issue. But once they got organised Eiling knew problems were bound to show up.

Entering Roanoke Island was definitely a problem; a shield of golden light surround the island and the encompassing water, from the highest point in the sky to the bottom of the ocean. It barred anyone from entering and anything from exiting.

Based on reports of people on the island which were suddenly and inexplicably transferred to Manns Harbour gave off the most detailed and disturbing accounts of black energy and monsters flying up into the sky. Scouts from the 4th Infantry Brigade reported seeing…very horrible things. Things trying to claw their way through the shield of gold.

All of it happening on United States soil.

The General ignored an instinct to shoot through the dome; if based on what his men glimpsed was true, that shield was very important. Instead he opted to call the Justice League itself.

Instead of getting Superman, Batman, or Flash; he got Red Tornado. A brief heated discussion was quickly silenced, the General convinced the sentient toaster hung up on him. To hell with that.

"Get the men ready to fire. If that shield goes down I want the entire US Army to unload everything it has." Eiling ordered over the radio. "Prepare the artillery. Call in the boys in the Air Force, I want enough napalm to boil the entire Croatan Sound."

"Sir," Colonel Sam Lane replied, "spotters report something in the sky. It's heading right at us."

Eiling nearly had a heart attack. "What?!"

"Take a look sir. You can see it with the naked eye."

Eiling ran out the command tent, around him were young men and women all gazing up in wonder and horror.

It was large, and fast and approached with an eerie silence.

"What in the name of all that is holy…?"

It was right on top of them before they could make a positive outline of a large obelisk founded on what seemed to be rock. The sound barrier cracked, deafening everyone.

The very top of the golden shield split open and for a brief moment Eiling saw what kind of horrors the scouts saw trying to crawl out.

Briefly.

The obelisk slammed through the top of the shield and hit the earth.

And it was as if the sun itself was in front of them.

Blinding white light, and a heat that would have made demons cower.

"Mother of God…."

0o0o0o

Cardsharp felt the sting of heat, not just across his flesh, but across his metal body. It felt like he was burning alive. Even with his optics disabled, he could see light; feel it.

The sound itself was deafening, even with overloaded sensors, he could feel the shockwave like the merciless stomp of a Titan.

It was painful.

I'm okay with this, Cardsharp thought. It will be over….wait.

An object of nuclear proportions just detonated less than a hundred meters away from the Tech-Priest. How in the name of the Ominissiah was he still alive? He should be ash.

I'm alive?! Cardsharp dared to activate an optic, the searing light and heat felt like fire to his mind.

But amongst the filters of blinding light, he could make it out; a golden shield which encompassed his form and armaments.

What in the Omnissiah's name is going on?

= Status: Scanning. Filtering all known spectrums =

Amongst the chaos of noise and fire, he could clearly see it. The other heroes, even the ones thought lost, were encompassed in a holy light. Around them daemons vanished and screeched, their forms and woes vanished into the noise of fire and light.

This is impossible, Cardsharp thought, how is this happening?

The Tech-Priest found his answer in Doctor Fate. Brighter than even the heart of a thermo-nuclear explosion, he floated in the sky. What is he?

And Cardsharp's mind could not help but turn to ancient texts of the Cult Mechanicus.

And so the mighty Omnissiah, forged from the essence of the Machine God took to the sky like an angel from on high.

But it couldn't be…could it?

Time passed. Seconds…minutes…not even the young Adept could be sure; the electro-magnetic pulse of the detonation short-circuited his internal clock.

The light faded in luminescence like a dying star.

It revealed a wasteland, the heat reduced everything; pure, corrupted….all of it became ash in the heart of crater. Thus ended Roanoke Island.

The being known as Fate lowered the shield around his comrades. He stood tall, but not strong. Cardsharp could make an outline of wrinkled hands and a tarnished suit under the golden helm and cape. There was someone inside of Doctor Fate.

The good Doctor fell to the ground, his breathing frayed. His voice distorted.

"I-It… it was too much." Fate's breathing grew erratic. The shield that encompassed Roanoke Island faded like mist, the night sky revealed to all.

"Probably." Klarion appeared in a wisp of smoke. "You saved your allies. You even saved me. I did not expect that."

"You held your end of the bargain, Witch-Boy." Fate growled, his strength and divine light leaving him. "But it seems my time is up. It seems cruel that… my existence should come to an end by you, after saving you from your wretched kin….Fate has not been kind."

Klarion smirked as he reached for the golden helmet, which came off with little fuss. The costume of blue gold vanished, and what was once Doctor Fate, was now an old man; tired and dying. "At least I will get to see my dear Inza again."

Klarion looked away from the golden helmet back at its ex-wearer, a weird looking smile on his face. "So long old fart."

And with a small smile and a groan, the old man died.

Not a god….but a man after all. Cardsharp shook his head. In all his years, a mere split second compared to the grand history of the Imperium of Man, never had he heard of, nor encountered anything like the golden helmed sorcerer of light. It was errie, and disturbing that a creature like Fate could be good. It was supposed to be impossible.

The Inquisition would have a field day if they found out, the Tech-Priest concluded as he struggled to his feet.

"It's funny. " The child-like daemon toyed with the helmet. "I have been waiting for millennia to get this chance, Nabu. And now here it is….and all of a sudden I don't want it. I guess it is no fun when victory is just handed to you."

"That's good." Zatara called from above, not remotely impressed. "Then you will hand it over."

"Aw come on Zatara," Klarion pouted, "can't you just let me savour this moment just a little longer."

"No," Zatara glared, "let Nabu go."

Nabu…? Cardsharp was confused. Who the hell is Nabu? Was the old man Doctor Fate or not?

"Wait." Zatara glanced back in horror at the shadows engulfing members of the league. "If Chaos has been defeated, why are the shadows still here?"

Klarion paused, and his eyes grew wide in horror. "OH SHI-!"

PoOR LiTTlE KlARiOn THE deSErter. A voice called from the dark. You CANnot EscapE uS.

=Status: Scanning =

= Result: Anomaly found =

The Warp tear, was smaller than it was before; a small sliver a tear in reality no bigger than a man glowed red in anticipation. Not again….

"Here take it!" Klarion threw the golden helmet at the magician. "Put it on!"

"But…" Zatara gazed at the golden relic in his hands, something clearly on his mind.

"PUT IT ON RIGHT NOW OR WE DIE!" Klarion screeched.

Zatara inhaled deeply and placed the helm on his head.

And Doctor Fate appeared again.

What in the name of the Ominissiah is going on? Cardsharp felt dizzy. Oh what he would give to hear another sermon from Master Kyriz, or some sense of logic to the insanity that he is witnessing.

"BACK TO THE WARP WITH YOU!"Fate clashed his hands together with a spear of heavenly light and it pierced the tear.

Things sprang into motion, as realities that were once merged were now being split. And things that were once of the Warp began to return back to it…along with anything that it infected.

0o0o0o

Bruce Wayne struggled in his own personal hell, encompassed by shadows and the dead.

Those he failed, those whom he thought would be proud of him all there, judging, laughing and screaming.

And there was Selina Kyle. Naked, bleeding…changing….it was disgusting.

Despite the armour of his 'batsuit' she could feel her writhing ad grinding on top of him. Batman was trying to fight her, but he was failing.

"Come on Bruce," Selina whispered in his ear, "why did you come back for me? Was it because of Stagg's murder? Or were you jealous of how Calig had his way with me?"

"No." Bruce struggled. "I'm trying to help."

"Oh please honey." Selina arched back revealing her form to him. "Do I look like a need saving?"

But the void shattered in on itself like the breaking of a mirror. Gone were the shadows and dead.

In their place a wasteland made of fire and heat.

Selina looked up, her strange purple eyes wide in surprise. "No…"

Batman could only describe what happened next as a vortex of air gathering around them, dragging the eldritch and cackling shapes away from them.

And it was dragging Selina Kyle away too.

"SELINA!" Bruce grabbed her hands which were beginning to look like claws. Even with the armour on, he could feel her nails dig into his skin. The void which was dragging upon Catwoman did not seem to affect the Dark Knight, a reason he would surely work out later, but as he held onto her he too could feel himself being pulled along.

A light layer of magic and smoke peeled off Catwoman's skin like a chrysalis. Beneath the pale and blotted skin was Selina Kyle…the real Selina Kyle.

"BRUCE!" She cried, her voice losing its sultry tones. "Help me!"

"HOLD ON!" Batman reached into a utility belt for a grapple, he shot it directly into the earth beneath him, creating a solid anchor on which he could stand. It gave him enough time to see where the vortex was gravitating, a sliver of red energy glowing in the air with Doctor Fate and Klarion channelling energy both divine and demonic.

The Warp Tear…or at least what was left of it.

Steams of shadows and shapes fluttered into it, sucked in like a vacuum cleaner. Black energy rolled off Superman, Green Arrow and the rest of the league like oil; dragged off to whence it came.

But there was one black stream of horrific energy that did not yet vanish. It was the one that was grappled around Catwoman.

"Don't let me go in there!" She cried, tears streaming down her cheeks and swept up by the magical current engulfing her. "Please save me!"

"I won't let go, just hang on!" Batman called out. "FATE! HELP CATWOMAN!"

Whether the golden helmed sorcerer did not hear him, or chose to ignore his plea he did not know. But the vortex did not cease, and Batman could feel Catwoman's fingers begin to slip out of his hands.

"It's too late Bruce…" Selina whispered, her voice carried in the wind. "I'm rotten."

"No you are not." Batman shook his head holding so tight her bones were beginning to fracture. "We're going to help you. We can fix this."

"Bruce…please." Selina begged. "It's too late. But I beg you please…kill me."

"No!" Batman had enough of this talk about death, this is not why he signed up with the Justice League. He joined up to save lives, not take them.

"Bruce!" She pleaded, her voice full of panic and terror. "Don't let the Warp take me! They showed what they would do to me! It's worse than death itself!"

Batman paled under the mask, his mind wandering to places he dare not go, had it not been for the fact the energies of the Warp have shown him already. "I can't…"

"Please Bruce." Selina sobbed, her voice barely a whisper. "Don't let me suffer like that…Save me."

Everything I am, everything I have done, was so that I do not have to face death again….

A flood of dead voices were brought back to the billionaire's mind, the cumulative pain and misery and suffering he caused by his acts of 'valour'…or was it selfishness. The Dark Knight did not know anymore….

"Oh my boy…You disappoint us so much."

"Oh a fucking mommas boy. Is that all you give a shit about, your dead parents? Do you even remember me?"

"Poor pathetic boy, still crying for mommy and daddy. Can you just let it go?!"

"Come play with us in hell Bruce. We're all waiting for you."

Batman gazed into Selina's desperate and terrified eyes.

"Selina." Bruce whispered. "I'm so sorry…"

Batman drew a batarang and jammed it solidly into her neck. Selina's eyes rolled into the back of her head and her body went limp. A quick and painless kill; Ra's al Ghul would be proud.

The black shadows dislodged from her, and with no anchor in this realm, they were violently drawn back into their own.

Selina Kyle fell to the ground.

0o0o0o

"What are you waiting for Nabu?!" Klarion screeched. "Close the tear now!"

"Not until the last bit of corruption has been cleansed from this universe!" Fate continued.

Amongst the flutter of smoke and shadows a pair of red eyes glowed as hot coal. wE knoW wHEre you havE Been hIdinG noW. We WilL fInd YoU klArioN. EveN iF it TaKEs an etErNiTY...WE WiLl fiNd You.

"Good luck with that pal!" The Witch-Boy snarked, betraying a tingling of fear in his voice. "With no more relics in this universe, you will be completely cut off! Guess you will have to spread somewhere else."

But the thing in the Warp laughed something cruel and vile.

We aRe sUrpriSEd KlariON, yOu SHOuLD kNow beTTeR tHAn AnyONE, Chaos AlwAys Finds A WAY.

"IT IS DONE!" Fate channelled a final burst and the tear closed sealing the Warp and the Chaos that came with it. "BEGONE!"

It was over. Finally.

"It is done." Fate sighed. "But it was done at great cost."

"Trust me, the cost was well worth paying." Klarion sighed; he was shaken by the Warp creature's last words. It was true; Chaos always finds a way. Klarion escaped from that universe….others could too. But that was something to worry about later, right now he had other things that needed his attention…like Nabu charging a massive blast of magic for him.

"Had you not come to our universe," Fate growled, glowing energy dancing around his hands, "that cost need not have been paid."

"I did what I had to do, Nabu!" Klarion glared back. "I regret nothing. If you want to start something over this, then by all means; ring the bell."

Fate stood still for what seemed like minutes before he powered down his magic. "There has been enough destruction for one day. We shall settle our battle another time."

Klarion grinned as he began to fade. "Can't wait old fart. See you around."

The air was still and quiet, the only sounds were of that of heroes fallen coming to their senses, Captain Marvel nursing a broken jaw, Wonder Woman sheathing her sword, a dark knight whispering to a cold dead body…

…and a Tech-Priest sleeking silently away in the confusion.

0o0o0o

Selina's body grew cold, her womb and neck have long since stopped bleeding. But her face, was not one of terror or pain. It was of peace and serenity.

"Selina…I'm so sorry." Bruce whispered, cradling her body upon the ground. Covering her with his cape as a form of modesty. He could feel something behind him, something bright and warm. It was, to Bruce's shame, something that alleviated his pain albeit barely.

"No one could save her Batman." Doctor Fate commented.

"I tried to help her…but all I did was kill her." The Dark Knight tried to hide his tears.

"But you have helped her." Doctor Fate radiated. "Her soul is free now from the foul machinations of the Warp. She is at peace."

"But she is dead." Batman grew angry. "And I killed her."

"You saved her, Batman. In life she was condemned. In death she had been saved." Doctor Fate pondered. "Chaos would have never left her go; she was the one last anchor into this universe. Had they consumed her, she would be subject to a horrible fate. There was no other way."

"I can't accept that." Batman choked. "There had to be another way. There always is."

"I have told you what I know." Doctor Fate floated away. "You can choose to accept this as the best possible outcome, or you can let it destroy you from within. This decision is up to you."

Batman remained motionless, alone with his own thoughts.

0o0o0o

"Shayera!" Katar Hol embraced his wife with a hug that would break human spines and Shayera returned it with a passionate kiss, one which they will likely continue later in private.

Green Arrow was trying his best to remain steady as if he woke from a drunken stupor, his face pale and shaken. "Dinah, please it's okay…nothing will happen I promise." His reassurances meant nothing to Black Canary whose jaw was locked shut and she refused to speak.

The Green Lanterns were recovering faster than most. Their rings glowed dimly; evidence that their wielders' resolve remained intact but thoroughly shaken.

Captain Atom stood alone on the edge of the Crossroads (or what was left of them) absorbing the radiation from the blast, and his mind dwelling on things he had lost.

Captain Marvel was reassuring Flash for the umpteenth time through a swollen jaw, that he could see him and the scarlet speedster was not trapped in the speed force.

Aquaman dreamed of the seas and wondering what kind of king abandons his kingdom for people that are not his own.

"Get away from me!" Superman cried, his mind reeling from the assault from that rotting old man. Welcome to the family son…

"Clark…relax." Wonder Woman was tired and stress and she did not need Superman freaking out. "It's over. It was just a nightmare, that's all."

"It can't be…" The kryptonian's eyes refocused. "It was so real…"

"It's gone now." Wonder Woman smiled weakly. "You missed quite a battle."

"I guess I did." Superman surveyed the devastation. "What happened?"

"Our 'guest', crashed the Watchtower into the Warp tear." Wonder Woman nodded grimly. "It was crude…but very effective. Victory is ours."

"The Watchtower…" Clark's eyes gawked. "What happened to Red Tornado?" The look that the Amazon gave him said she was thinking about something similar. The frown on her face told him everything. "Oh no."

"We have a huge mess." Wonder Woman stretched her neck. "The army is probably moving in by now and they will have a lot of questions."

"I can't even begin how to explain this." Superman looked over at the Dark Knight. "Hey is he alright?"

A crackle over their earpieces interrupted the awkward explanation. "This is Martian Manhunter to any Justice League! Can you hear me?"

"J'onn? This is Diana." Wonder Woman touched the earpiece. "Are you alright? We could certainly use yo-"

"There is no time for pleasantries." The Manhunter's voice was panicked. "I have been trying to reach you for almost an hour."

"What's wrong?"

"I relayed the information I gained from the Tech-Priest to the Collective." J'onn's voice descended into a whisper, like he was hiding. "They are not pleased with what they saw. They have assembled the army! They are heading for Earth right now!"

"What?" Wonder Woman turned to the rest of the league, all of them paused in both surprise and frustration; will this horrible night ever end?

"They are heading to you right now! Contact the Green Lantern Corps and get Stewart and Jordan up there now! Before-" J'onn was interrupted by what sounded like the discharge of a weapon. "AGH! They've found me! You have to organise a defence! Do it before it's too-"

J'onn's communication went silent.

That can't be good. Wonder Woman paled. "John, Hal, get up there now!"

Both Green Lanterns were still rattled but complied nonetheless. With green armour encompassing them, they shot up into the sky.

It seems the night is not yet over.

0o0o0o

Cardsharp was tired and stressed. The Tech-Priest ran as fast as his bulk would take him, his damaged servo-skulls gathered in his arms.

When he dreamed on going on adventures, he thought about joining one of the great Explorator Fleets of the Adeptus Mechanicus, travelling the galaxy for STC's long since buried. Running around Terra with aliens, heretics and mutants combating Chaos was not the Tech-Priest's idea of a good time.

But that chapter is now closed, literally. Now Cardsharp had to deal with the matter of the Justice League's 'rehabilitation'.

Fighting them was out of the question. He could probably take on the more human members, but the rest…forget it. Cardsharp cannot win, he knows that now. He accepted it. Now he had to find a way around it.

He had to find a way back home.

He just reached the edge of the crater of what was Roanoke Island, in the distance he could see hundreds of humans armed to the teeth with weapons, and the Tech-Priest nearly laughed.

Those are tanks…I have seen Chimera's bigger than them!

= Status: Scanning =

= Result: Vehicle identified =

This must have been right outside of Fate's shield. Cardsharp stumbled across a sleek looking vehicle, it was painted blood red. Its only identifying mark was that of a black horse over a yellow sigil with the word 'Ferrari' underneath.

A scan revealed a dead body in the trunk. This must have been Calig's transportation.

Oh Omnissiah, may your boundless mercy save this man who was condemned by Chaos. Cardsharp prayed as he removed the recently deceased man from the trunk and laid him on the side of the road.

He placed KA63 and KA64 gently on the passenger side of the car and squeezed into the driving side with about as much grace as a man with Ominissiah knows how much electronics attached to him could.

Calig graciously left the keys in the ignition. Although time was of the essence now, the Tech-Priest remembered his vows and as strange as the situation was Master Kyriz would not want him to waiver. Cardsharp prayed.

The soul of the Machine God surrounds thee.
The power of the Machine God invests thee.
The hate of the Machine God drives thee.
The Machine God endows thee with life.
Live!

The Tech-Priest turned on the ignition and the Ferrari hummed to life with a purr.

= Vehicle user interface analysed =

Cardsharp placed the car into gear and drove as fast as he could. His destination was far away, and he had little time to waste.

Before the Tech-Priest sent the Watchtower and the Abominable Intelligence hurtling right into the Warp rift, he downloaded all data he could into his memory banks. In particular, that cogitator that would not identify itself; a backdoor system which he could not remotely access. However thanks to the Omnissiah, Cardsharp managed to locate its coordinates.

The cogitator was located at a place called 'Wayne Manor'.

= Co-ordinates entered =

= Status: Navigating =

The min-cogitator began to blare and played something that could only be described as 'music'.

'I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night
That tonight's gonna be a good night
That tonight's gonna be a good, good night'

Cardsharp stared at the radio as if it was possessed; that did not sound like any hymn to the Ominissiah and/or God-Emperor the Tech-Priest had ever heard of. Commissar Gevin would probably have stroke if he were here.

0o0o0o

So let's see; Red Tornado, Kent Nelson and Selina Kyle. I think that calls it a day.

Hopefully the controversial moment with Batman was not too far-fetched. I find his rule to be 'okayish' at the best of times but I would think in this one instance, where everything has gone to hell, he would bend. It just seemed appropriate; a boy who has woken up to finally see the world as it is. Not as he wants it to be.

Hope you liked it fells.

And remember, reviews are pleasing to the Omnissiah.