Child of the Forest and the Ocean
Chapter 11
Gray humanoid creatures ran through the streets of Metropolis on all fours, their pointed nails sparking against the concrete and roofs of cars as they charged towards their enemy. Some leapt at bystanders, their shark-like teeth sinking into soft flesh.
More creatures dragged fallen bodies towards the docks, at least three of its fellows guarding them at all times.
Blood sprayed in the air, filling the air with its coppery scent. Shouts and screams along with pleas for mercy and divine intervention echoed off the buildings, but whatever deity they were praying to wasn't listening today.
Body parts flew around, like the Metropolis streets had become a slaughterhouse and the people were the cattle.
Snarling, Aqua lad shot blue beams from his eyes. They slammed into the closest creature, only to ricochet off as an aura of red shimmered into existence around it. He grimaced as he watched the slightly overweight man in the creature's grasp die. Black claws ripping open his protruding stomach to let his entrails splatter on the ground.
The smell of punctured bowels wafted into the air, driving Garth backwards and filling him with shame. His king had charged him with protecting the surface world from threats, and he had failed. Even worse, creatures of the sea were the thing causing the destruction. 'I'm sorry my king.'
Swinging his U-shaped trident off his back, Garth charged, his Atlantean strength carrying him to a new creature in a blur of motion.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of light. A smile twisted his face, reinforcements had arrived.
–XX –
Harry gazed around him while letting his clay disguise fall away into light brown powder at his feet. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the creatures, his mind flashing back to his time under the sea and the creatures that attacked the ship when he found his first bit of gold.
His eyes zeroed in on the jagged teeth filling the creature's wide mouths.
One charged towards him, its gray skin glistening, its long web fingers clenching in anticipation of rending flesh. Reaching out with his mind, Harry grimaced.
A familiar auburn haired woman stood in the center of a large cavern, surrounded by the gray creatures.
"Serve me," her voice echoed throughout the cavern, her eyes locking onto each one of the creatures, "and you will never go hungry again. Become my army, and you will become the premier race of the ocean."
A red aura flared around the creature, forcing Harry back a step and snapping him back to reality.
He glanced over his shoulder, his face twisting at Zatanna's wide purple eyes as she watched the carnage. "Zatanna," Harry said firmly, snapping her out of her trance.
Her slender hands clenched into fists, but still shook.
"These creatures are not human. They're just driven by an everlasting hunger. Don't hesitate to kill them."
He took a step forward. Dark asphalt climbed his body, covering it like a second skin. Grabbing the creature's fist as it threw a punch, Harry through his own at its head, earth blades extending from his knuckles.
The red aura flared around the creature, but Harry's blades punch through it, his own magic counteracting it.
The creature shrieked just before Harry's blades punched into its brain silencing it forever. With a sharp twist, he sliced off the top of its head, blood geyser doubt like some kind of sick fountain. The top of its head landing on the ground upside down, giving the world a view of the gray matter attached inside.
Two more jumped forward, the webbed gray fingers bent.
Still holding the body of his first victim, Harry moved 1 foot forward. Earth spikes shot from the ground piercing the creature's hearts. Their black eyes widened.
Concentrating, Harry visualized smaller spikes emerging from the shafts.
Thin dark brown spikes exploded out from all over the creature's body, sending sprays of blood decorating the street.
With his three targets dead, he glanced around. Even with the three he had just killed, there was still way too many of them.
The only reason the team hadn't been overrun was because of the cars people had abandoned in their pursuit to get away. From the blood near the cars, he didn't think they got very far.
The smell of blood and punctured bowels hung in the air like the street had become a slaughterhouse, growing stronger with each second.
Throwing the body aside, Harry turned to Zatanna. Her eyes were locked on the blood dripping from his claws, creating small red circles on the ground. "If my previous reasons aren't enough reason to kill them, they're working with Tala."
Breathing out, Zatanna nodded, her purple eyes scanning the streets. Bile rose in her throat as she watched the creatures tear into the civilians. They rip them in half with casual ease, scooping up the hearts as they plopped to the ground.
Some would stare at a particular body part, their black eyes locked onto the point of interest, their heads cocked to one side. Reaching down, one snapped off an arm before sinking his jagged teeth into it like some kind of sick chicken leg.
Closing her eyes, she began muttering words, reaching out with her magic.
Dark clouds world across the sky and thunder echoed off the buildings. Bright blue tendrils of electricity jumped from cloud to cloud.
People peaked out of their hiding places, their eyes locked upwards as the dark clouds moved in to settle over the city.
Keeping her eyes closed, she reached out with her mind, not pausing in her spell.
'Harry, I know how to take these things down, but I need to concentrate and I can't see them with my eyes closed.'
'I'm on it.'
Reaching out with his telepathy, Harry connected his mind to Zatanna's, projecting what he was seeing into her head.
Memorizing each one of the creatures locations in her mind, Zatanna let go of her spell.
Lightning stabbed down from the sky with a deafening boom shaking the ground and filling any nearby window with a blinding blue light.
Screeches of pain and the smell of burnt fish filled the air.
Zatanna opened her eyes, watching as the blue lightning danced across gray skin, turning it crispy black. She swayed on her feet as her magical levels dropped. Her vision began darkening, she felt herself falling sideways.
Before she could hit the ground, she landed on something warm and sturdy. A familiar voice filled her ears, "Remind me never to piss you off."
Heavy lidded eyes fluttered open. She found herself staring into the impressed face of Harry Isley, one corner of his mouth slanted upward.
Despite what she had done, and the smell of dead fish still lingering in the air she couldn't help but feel smug. "Damn right," she slurred, before finally giving into the exhaustion that wracked her body.
Scooping her up in his arms, Harry glanced around him. Dead bodies of the creature's littered the street, blackened almost down to the bone. Pale smoke rose into the air like an obscuring mist.
Glancing down at the woman in his arms, his lips twitched. The old adage was true, big things really do come in small packages.
"Who is that?" Kid Flash asked nodding to Zatanna.
"My new partner," Harry replied, a hint of pride in his voice.
Kid flash is blue eyes twinkled behind his yellow mask, "So she's single then?"
Pulling Zatanna tighter against his chest, Harry's eyes narrowed. A dim green glow filling them. "Don't even think about it."
Garth strode over, the tips of his Trident gleaming with blood on his back. He placed a hand clad in a black glove on Harry shoulder. "Thank you for your assistance my friend." A smile twisted his tan face as he glanced down at Zatanna, "both of your assistance."
Harry shrugged the best he could with Zatanna and his arms. "I didn't do much." He tilted his head downward, "Zatanna did most of the heavy lifting, heck I didn't even know she could do that."
Robin strode forward, his steel toed boots clicking on the asphalt. "What she did was impressive, but it seems to have tired her out."
A green skinned woman in a dark skintight bodysuit strode forward, a red X crisscrossing her chest, her blue cape swishing behind her. Tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear, her brown eyes twinkled. "It may have tired her out, but I don't think she minds her position."
"I take it you wish you could be in this position with a certain super teen," Harry nodded to the brooding Superboy standing a short distance away, his arms crossed over his broad chest, his light blue eyes staring at the charred bodies of the creatures impassively.
Pink filled the woman's green cheeks, "How did you…?"
"I'm a telepath, and you are streaming your surface thoughts, Miss…"
"Megan Jones, but my call sign is Miss Martian."
"Nice to meet you Megan."
The female Martian glanced at her teammates. "The team told me it was rude to read somebody's mind without asking."
Harry smirked. "Well I'm not part of the team, besides when I see a new face, I instinctively scanned their surface thoughts," he raised one shoulder. "I'm a bit paranoid."
As they joked, each one of the teens steadily avoided looking at the bodies around them, they were already going to have nightmares from the failure. They didn't need to make it worse by seeing the faces of the victims they couldn't save.
Superboy moved over to join them, his dark hair ruffled by a gentle breeze as Megan opened her mouth to say more, but before she could, Harry stumbled. Images of a booted foot filling his mind.
Turning to Garth, Harry held out Zatanna. "Take her, I have to go."
Garth moved forward, allowing Harry to slide Zatanna into his arms. "What's wrong?"
Turning on his heel, Harry gestured with his free hand. A fire hydrant exploded into the air as water shot up from the ground like Old Faithful. "I have to go, my mother's in trouble."
Striding forward, Harry stepped into the water and disappeared.
"That was kind of cool"," Kid Flash said. He turned to Garth. "Can you do that?"
Staring at the geyser of water, Garth slowly shook his head. "No, no I can't."
–XX –
The air conditioning unit in the window of Pamela Isley's hospital room hummed a long, blowing the streamers attached to its vents straight. Leafy remains of the rat Harry left behind to watch his mother skidded across the floor in the gentle breeze.
Water exploded out of the fan shaped sprinkler heads mounted in between the white tiles covering the ceiling, scattering everywhere, but before it could hit the ground it spun like a mini tornado and took a humanoid shape.
The clear head swiveled back and forth, while outlines of a jacket, jeans, and boots formed out of the water. The water shut off, the last droplets of water dripping from the sprinkler head flowing into the figures body.
The figure took a step forward, leaving a wet footprint on the floor. The watery footprint crawled across the floor, sinking back into the figures body.
Kneeling down it shimmered, becoming the solid form of Harry Isley. His eyes locked on to the remains of the rat.
The plant animals were designed with an animal-like brain, but made of plant, so those with a connection to the green could view the memories of the animals.
Stretching forth his hand, he willed it to come towards him with Chlorokinesis. The leafy remains skidded across the floor as if they were pulled by a magnet. The green foliage melted into his skin, he closed his eyes, sinking into the topiary's memories.
–XX –
Harry in the body of the rat scurried along the floor, his tiny pink nose twitching at these smells around him. Suddenly, his ears twitched. He sprinted under the bed, his claws making tiny scratching sounds on the floor.
Crouching in the shadows, his small eyes locked on the window just as an arm emerged. He watched as a man in orange spandex with what look like green underwear on the outside emerged from the window, a strange looking gun clutched in his hand.
Most of his face was hidden by a dark green mask that covered his entire head, but Harry caught a glimpse of brown eyes as he surveyed the room.
Clipping the gun to his side, the man made his way forward, his dark green boots making no sound. He stopped at the side of the bed, the tips of his shoes just inches away from Harry.
He couldn't see him from where he was under the bed, but words filtered down from above.
"I don't know why that Tala woman once you, but if she can help me get my life back on track I don't really care."
The feet in Harry's view shifted, and the springs above him creaked.
The man stepped back, Pamela cradled in his arms.
The rat shot forward, its orders to watch over and protect Pamela driving it onwards. Vines rose out of its gray body flying forward, the tips like needles.
The orange man jumped backwards, "Holy…" Shifting Pamela to one arm, his hand flew to his gun. The rats scurried sideways just as the tile it was standing on disappeared, leaving behind a square of gray concrete.
It arched its back like a cat, the gray hairs covering its body flying through the air like needles.
The man who Harry now recognized as Mirror Master sidestepped the attack but not before his bicep was punctured by hundreds of gray needles.
Mirror Master cursed as his gun slid from his fingers to clatter on the floor. "Oh, I've had enough of this."
Striding forward, he dived to the left, dodging the tiny leaves flying through the air towards him and stopped before the rat.
It crouched down, the twigs that made up the skeleton of its body revealed after that last attack.
The last thing Harry saw was the sole of a green boot descending towards him. "Sorry little fella, you just weren't strong enough."
–XX –
Eyes snapping open, Harry's back arched. He fell to the side and curled into a ball feeling like every bone in his body had been broken. Lying on the cold floor, he screamed through clenched teeth not wanting to draw attention to himself.
Once the pain filled twitches faded, he rose to his feet making a mental note to remove the pain receptors in future animals. It's not like they needed to be that realistic.
Walking around the room, he stopped beside the space that was missing a tile. Stretching his hand downwards, he concentrated. Particles swirled in the air, forming a new pristine white tile that fit into place like a puzzle piece.
Giving it a few quick stomps with his foot he moved over to the bed. Its pale sheets were thrown back like his mother had just decided to get up and walk out. The tubes attached to her body, lay against their fork shaped metal stands, like forgotten streamers at a party.
Dropping to his knees, he scanned the grout looking for any traces that Mirror Master may have left behind. Removing his Trident shaped pendant from his neck, he used the middle prong to scrape a black substance from the grout. He didn't know if it was left by Mirror Master, but right now it was the only clue he had.
Rising to his feet, he stared at the bed. "I'm sorry mother. I'm sorry I let you down, I'm sorry I let you get captured." His hands clenched into fist, "but I promise I will find you, and I will make Mirror Master pay for taking you."
Turning, he froze.
Zatanna leaned against the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest, her purple eyes filled with worry.
"What are you doing here? You should be resting after the amount of energy you used."
Uncrossing her arms, Zatanna pushed herself off the doorframe. Her high-heeled boots clicked against the tiles. "Yeah like I was going to lie in bed and recuperate after finding out your mother was kidnapped."
Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Zatanna cut him off.
"If the situations were reversed, would you lay in bed after my father was kidnapped?"
Harry shut his mouth, knowing she was right.
Zatanna nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "That's what I thought, now what have you found out?"
Shaking his head, Harry glanced up at the ceiling. Why did he have to like such a stubborn girl? Tearing his eyes away from the florescent lights, he turned to the window. "My mother was taken by Mirror Master; he entered through there," he nodded at the window. "After a brief scuffle with my topiary rat, he left through it."
Zatanna began pacing around the room, her slender arms folded behind her back, her half-moon earrings swinging from her ear. "My father has never fought Mirror Master, but we have heard of him. Mirror Master is a common thief, there's no monetary gain in taking your mother, so why would he do it?"
Debating with himself for a moment, Harry opened his mouth. He couldn't bring himself to lie to Zatanna, even if it was a lie of omission. She was one of his only friends, and maybe something more.
Of course, according to Selena he wasn't a very good liar to begin with. "Tala promised to help Mirror Master with a problem."
"How do you…" She shook her head. "Never mind, why didn't you mention this before?"
Harry's eyes hardened. "Because this is my problem, and I didn't want you fighting a demon."
Zatanna stalked forward. "I'm a big girl. I don't need you to protect me!"
"Against a demon you might!"
They stared at each other for a long moment.
Zatanna turned away. "We started this together, were going to finish this together, end of story."
Shoulders slumping, the fire left Harry's eyes as he walked forward and placed his hands on Zatanna shoulders. "I don't want you getting hurt trying to help me solve my problems."
Unconsciously Zatanna leaned back against him his soft words filling her with a warmth she'd never known before, "And I don't want you getting hurt trying to do this alone."
They stood in silence just listening to the hum of the air conditioner.
"You know your father's going to kill me if you get hurt, right?"
Zatanna turned, staring up at him with a sweet smile on her face. "Daddy may act tough, but really he's just a big softy."
Harry snorted. "To you maybe."
"So what do we do first?" Zatanna asked tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear.
Harry's face hardened, his eyes becoming like glaciers, and his lips forming into a thin line. "That's easy, I use water to find Mirror Master and beat the crap out of him until he tells me where he took my mother."
Zatanna nodded. "I'm sure that would be satisfying, but you're letting your emotions cloud your judgment. Tala was behind this, we need more information on her."
"Okay, how do we do that?" Harry asked, forcing his anger at himself for letting his mother get captured and his fear of what might happen to her behind his mental shields.
"We go see a demon expert?"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "You know one of those?"
"Of course, Jason Blood, the man with a demon bound to his soul."
Ignoring that last statement, Harry stared into her eyes. "Okay, where can we find him."
"Jason travels a lot, but his home base is in Gotham."
Raising his arm, Harry prepared to summon more water from the sprinklers, but paused. "You wouldn't happen to be able to give me an image of Jason's home would you?"
"Of course," Zatanna leaned forward kissing him on the lips.
Harry froze for a moment. Then deepened the kiss. An image of a Gothic style brownstone surrounded by a wrought iron gate topped with gargoyles at its corners flowed into his mind.
Harry moved his arm, ready to snake it around Zatanna's waist, but she pulled away, her lips puffy and glistening, her breath coming out in shallow pants.
"Was the kiss really necessary?"
"Are you complaining?"
"No just curious."
She moved forward, a little sway in her hips. "No," she said leaning forward until their noses were almost touching. Her breath tickled his lips. "I was just really eager to do that after our little fight."
'If she likes to do that after a little spat I can't wait to see what she likes to do after a bigger fight.'
Zatanna slapped his arm. "Get your mind out of the gutter."
Harry opened his mouth, but Zatanna cut him off a smirk playing on her lips.
"Don't bother to deny it."
Stepping back, Harry crossed his arms over his chest. "The only way you could know what I was thinking is if you were having similar thoughts."
"Could be, or maybe I read your mind. Now let's see this new water trick of yours."
Rolling his eyes, Harry stepped forward, wrapping one arm around Zatanna while raising the other towards the ceiling. Reaching out through his connection with the clear, he pulled the water out of the sprinklers.
A wave of raindrops slammed down onto them. Harry twisted sideways, pulling Zatanna into the droplets. They vanished, leaving behind the soaking wet room with water droplets still bouncing off the floor.