Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel Cinematic Universe, Once Upon A Time, Smallville, League of Legends, Cursed or anything else you may recognize. I only own Jason Stark and any other OC's.
Thank you to everyone who has favirouted, followed and reviewed this fic so far.
This chapter will see our heroes riding out to San Francisco, though obviously trouble will find them and two High Noon characters will be involved. And we will also find out the identity of the villain.
Super Shadow 2018: Thanks for the review. Thanks for the suggestion, and I will see if it works.
PotCFan101: Thanks for the review. No, High Noon Hecarim is not the villain, but you will find out in this chapter, and you will love him. My version of Crisis on Infinite Earths will be the final story of the 'We Are Heroes' series. I'm probably a year or two away from even starting it, as I have 4 Phases planned out, and we're not even done with Phase 2 yet.
Chapter 10- With Hell before them
Timeline-5, Nevada Desert.
Nimue wrapped her face with a shawl as she rode towards a town. This one was larger than the one she and the others had come from, and was bustling with people.
Riding into the town, many people turned to face her with confusion and curiosity on their faces.
Nimue simply dipped her hat in acknowledgement as she jumped off her horse, tying the reins to a post.
Turning on her heel, she marched into a tavern, her hat dipped so that it covered most of her face.
"Who are you sir?" a gambler asked as he looked at her.
She slowly raised her head. "I am no man."
The gambler chuckled, folding his deck of cards. "A woman now, eh? What's a fine lady like you 'doin in these parts?"
"I am looking for an Angel who passed through here." Nimue replied.
"Well we 'aint seen no Angel 'round these parts. I'd recommended ya look elsewhere, missy."
"But maybe ya could entertain us for a bit!" another man whistled as all the men in the room laughed and cheered.
"You don't want to do this." Nimue warned.
"Come on, girl, don't be like that," the man said, strutting towards her. "We'll all show ya a good time."
Nimue picked up the lust in his voice as he came closer.
The man reached out to grab her but as he did, she gave him a front kick to his chest, sending him back.
"You're one feisty gal," the man chuckled. "I like it."
He threw a haymaker which Nimue avoided and she elbowed his side before punching him.
The man tried to kick but Nimue gave him a front kick to his chest, sending him back before the man kicked again. Nimue used her arm to block several more kicks before spinning and elbowing the man's face.
Spinning, she back-handed him and threw him into a table, shattering it.
Several more men got up and Nimue smirked, taking off her hat and laying it on a table as two men attacked at once.
As both attacked, Nimue raised her right arm and left leg to block both strikes before punching the first in the abdomen and grabbing the second man, kneed his abdomen before throwing the leg back to kick the first man.
Nimue blocked two strikes from the man and leaping up, kicked his chest, sending him down.
She then side-stepped to avoid a bullet from a man and punched his face, making it whip to the other side before striking the man's abdomen in another spin motion, making him grunt, and as he tried to hit, Nimue flipped and kicked his throat.
"Anyone else?" Nimue asked dryly.
No one else moved.
"Thought so," Nimue said. "Tell me where the Angel is, and we'll have no problems here."
"I saw her passing through here. She's in a room in another saloon." An old man in a corner said.
"Thanks a lot for your help, kind sir," Nimue nodded, taking her hat and putting it back on. "Now if you will kindly excuse me, I will be on my way."
Spinning on her heel, she turned to march out the room.
As she walked, she felt someone come up next to her and turned to see Jason walking next to her.
"You're stealthy," Nimue noted. "Very few people can actually sneak up on me."
"It's a gift." Jason chuckled before sobering. "You find what you're looking for?"
"Yep. The Angel is here. And I believe you know her." Nimue said.
"I do?" Jason frowned.
"Yes. She is the doppelganger of Ashe the Frost Archer." Nimue explained.
"Seriously?" Jason asked with a dropped jaw, remembering fighting alongside her during the Battle of Earth.
Ashe, Kal and two others, Leona the Radiant Dawn and Morgana the Fallen had fought and destroyed Unicron when Morgoth had unleashed him.
She had surprised him by being able to effortlessly use Stormbreaker even when Jason had picked it up and nearly passed out.
Clearly she was special, though Earth-96 Sara Lance had mentioned her being something called 'Iceborn' which were apparently powerful beings created thousands of years ago.
"In this universe, she is a mechanical Angel built at the dawn of the pioneer age. Ashe is fueled by the blood of deities gunned down in the infamous land rush that destroyed Heaven. She has adopted a devil-may-care attitude as she seeks adventure, choosing to forgive and protect the same mankind that forever robbed itself of eternal paradise."
"That is seriously fucked up." Jason commented.
"Like you have no idea. Hopefully she can take on Hecarim for us as we ride to San Francisco." Nimue said grimly.
"What is it about you and San Francisco. We just came from San Francisco, we go back to San Francisco. Maybe we'll die in Texas next. It'll be a nice change of scenery." Jason laughed.
"We're not dying." Nimue deadpanned.
"None ever plan to die." Jason replied quietly.
As Nimue walked into a saloon, they noticed it was empty except for one person.
She was a strikingly beautiful woman. She was garbed in a long coat, with a bow on a chair next to her and a cowboy hat on her head. Silver hair framed her face.
"Ashe?" Nimue asked.
High Noon Ashe looked up at Nimue with an unreadable expression on her face before she replied. "Who are you?"
"I am Nimue. This is Jason Stark. And we need your help." Nimue said.
"Whatever it is, not interested. So you can fuck off now." High Noon Ashe responded in a Texan accent.
"Huge difference between the version I know and this one." Jason muttered.
"It involves Hecarim." Nimue said blandly, her head snapped up at that.
"Why didn't ya just start with that?" High Noon Ashe asked, climbing to her feet.
"You seem to have a beef with the guy." Jason noted.
"Have ya met him?" High Noon Ashe asked, briefly looking him up and down.
"No I haven't," Jason replied. "Also, were you just checking me out?"
"Yep. You're cute." High Noon Ashe shrugged unapologetically.
"Oh boy!" Jason shook his head with a slight smile.
"We ride out, right now!" High Noon Ashe said urgently.
"Our friends are waiting for us outside the town." Nimue said as the three walked out the saloon.
"Let's hope these friends of yours are competent, 'cause we're screwed if they're not." High Noon Ashe responded.
"Oh they can surprise you." Jason smirked.
"Let's hope ya right, Stark." High Noon Ashe responded quietly, her pace increasing.
Just then, all three stopped upon seeing a dozen men ride into the town.
"Not these assholes again!" High Noon Ashe rolled her eyes.
"Who's the posse?" Jason raised an eyebrow.
"A gang. They rob every town they come across." High Noon Ashe responded, still staring ahead.
"I'll handle them." Jason said, rolling up his sleeves.
"What-" Nimue barely had time to talk before Jason marched forward.
"And who might you be, little boy?" the leader asked mockingly.
"I'm the guy who's gonna kick your ass if you don't leave." Jason retorted.
All of the riders burst into laughter.
"You hear this kid, boys," the leader laughed. "He thinks he can take us on!"
"I don't think I can take you on," Jason replied. "I will take you on."
Before more could be said, Jason whipped out his pistol and shot one of the riders in the chest and he fell off, dead.
"Do I like a joke to you?" Jason asked.
"You're gonna pay for that, boy!" the leader shouted, jumping off his horse and firing his pistol.
Jason simply smirked and as the bullet flew towards him, he opened his mouth and caught it in between his teeth.
Smirking, Jason spat the bullet out. The man gazed with a dropped jaw before jumping back on his horse and riding out with the others.
"Wow, and here I was expecting an actual challenge." Jason burst out laughing, turning back to face Nimue and High Noon Ashe, both of whom were staring at him with amazement.
"You caught a bullet in your mouth?" Nimue asked, dumbstruck.
"Can't beat a classic." Jason shrugged.
Marc, Ollie, Ezreal, Chloe, Chris, Talos, Hook and Nikolia sat outside the town, discussing something when Nimue, Jason and High Noon Ashe rode up to them.
"Ashe?" Ezreal asked in shock.
"Kid, I have idea who the Devil you are." High Noon Ashe raised an eyebrow.
"Doppelganger." Jason said simply, used to this after years of meeting doppelgangers.
"Why is she here then?" Ezreal asked.
"We need someone to help us fight Hecarim, and she's an Angel, while he is a Devil." Nimue shrugged.
"Well, this is new." Chris said, and no one disagreed with her.
"We must go now," Nimue said. "We need to track down Hecarim, and kill him."
Some time later.
Ezreal coughed as he and the others rode through the desert at high speed.
Their own goal was east, shadowed by sandstone arches and miles of open country. No man in his right mind would settle in these lands, but the foe he and the others were searching for was miles away from any town.
To that end, an Angel traveled with them. A mechanical being that felt no fear. Ezreal knew this was what they needed.
It was the long desert that they would hunt the Devil, and kill him.
"I'm hot." Chris groaned as flies attacked her face.
"It's a desert you moron, what were you expecting?" Marc rolled his eyes.
"Keep riding, we are still tracking Hecarim." High Noon Ashe spoke from the front.
True enough, on the ground lay black hoof-prints, no doubt caused by some kind of Demon.
"Where exactly is this thing headed?" Talos asked.
"Don't know," Nimue replied. "We just need to hunt it down and kill it."
"Kill a Devil, okay why not?" Ollie shrugged.
The group of 11 rode against the wind, following the burning hoof-prints and brushlands singed by hellfire.
Here the land went on for thousands of miles, and endless, open land of dirt, grass and rocks.
"We need to go." Jason said, looking around.
"We will." Nimue assured.
One day later.
The group of 11 smelt the ranch before they saw it. A two-story farmhouse and horse stable, both burnt to the ground.
There were trails marked with smoldering hoof-prints and the incinerated bodies of people and animals.
"Damn it!" Nimue cursed.
"Oh God!" Chloe said in disgust at seeing a burnt corpse, its face twisted upward in horror and fear.
"You're right, Nimue," High Noon Ashe spoke. "This is the work of Hecarim."
Jason stared at the scene, his emotions clouded by a neutral face.
"We're too late." He said.
"We need to move," Nimue said. "We need to find Hecarim."
"And we will." Jason snarled, picking up an ax that lay on the ground and hefting it onto his shoulder.
A wicked smile appeared on his face, in anticipation of the coming fight.
"You seem eager." Chris noted as she walked next to him.
"I enjoy a good fight." Jason simply shrugged, jumping back onto his horse.
"Follow the tracks." Nimue said from the front, kicking her horse into a gallop, the others soon following.
"How far away do you think he is?" Ezreal asked.
"I'd say about a day's ride from here. We can make it by day's end if we ride fast." High Noon Ashe spoke.
"Then let's do this." Ollie shrugged, and they rode away from the burnt farmhouse.
Jason, Ollie, Talos, Chloe, Marc, Chris, Nikolia, Nimue, Hook and High Noon Ashe rode across the desert, sloping hills surrounding them.
It was mostly desert with the odd patches of grass around as the afternoon Sun beat down upon them.
Jason held the reins in one hand with his other hand holding the ax he had picked up at the farmhouse.
"Why do you have an ax?" Nikolia asked him.
"If this Devil is as dangerous as I've heard, then I'm not taking any chances." Jason replied.
They had slowed down to a walk upon Nimue sighting High Noon Hecarim in the distance.
"What's the play here?" Hook asked.
"We wait for nightfall, when it's easier to sneak up on him." Nimue responded.
"Why nightfall?" Nikolia asked.
Nimue turned to stare at him. "Do you really want to fight a Devil in the middle of open daylight when he can easily spot us?"
"Fair point." Nikolia allowed.
Nimue looked at Jason, seeing his face completely devoid of emotion. That was good.
A man devoid of emotion is a man incorruptible by fear or weakness, unlike most people. A warrior always forced fear into the back of their minds as they fought to the bloody and violent end.
But then, they stopped. The horses refused to move.
"Why won't they go any further?" Ezreal frowned.
"Because Hecarim was here," Nimue said. "Set the horses loose. We have to travel on foot."
"Can't we just go around this valley?" Nikolia asked.
"Not unless we travel 200 miles north, or twice that distance south." High Noon Ashe replied.
With a collective groan, everyone got off, removing everything from the horses before sending them back.
"Well, there's no going back from here." Jason murmured.
The 11 of them turned and walked into the valley, their eyes darting all around.
"What the heck?" Chris gaped upon seeing huge bones lying around.
"These are the bones of a God, slain by men not long ago." Nimue said sadly.
A huge skull lay a few feet away, almost the size of a large boulder. Several bones of equal size lay scattered throughout this valley.
"Don't dwell on it my friends," Nimue said. "The proof of man's cruelty is here. But it matters not. Now, if you want to fight the Devil, you have to be a Devil."
Nimue and High Noon Ashe traveled together, with Hook and Talos covering the back and Ollie, Jason, Chloe, Chris, Ezreal and Nikolia were in the middle.
"Fear not this fight, we will not lose." Ezreal muttered.
"No we won't kid. No we won't." Jason assured.
"This is one hell of an adventure." Chris commented.
"It is." Nikolia agreed before asking Jason. "What did Nimue mean when she said that you used the Infinity Stones?"
"A few months ago, an alien warlord named Thanos wanted to collect the Infinity Stones, so that he could erase half the universe from existence." Jason began as Chris, Nikolia and Ezreal listened in.
"We fought him and his armies but he still gathered all six Stones and snapped half the Multiverse away."
"So that's why people randomly turned to dust. Ekko and Vi were among those who did." Ezreal said thoughtfully.
"Who are they?" Chris asked.
"Friends. I'll tell you later." Ezreal waved her off as Jason continued.
"A few days later, we reversed the Dusting, and restored everyone. There was a huge fight and we defeated Thanos. But it came at a huge price." Jason said sadly, remembering Rumplestilskin dying and Nora Snow-Allen fading from existence.
"Huh, wonder why no one called us." Chris mused.
"Maybe that has something to do with the fact that none of us were even aware of the Multiverse?" Nikolia asked rhetorically.
"Fair point." Chris nodded.
With that, the group continued walking while chatting.
Later.
Nimue's feet crunched on the ground as she moved towards a cliff.
Down below, High Noon Hecarim stood with other black riders, all Demons in their own right.
It was night-time, and the stars were on full display in the night sky.
"We're ready." Nimue heard Hook say.
"Me too." She said back.
Turning her head, she saw a pair of figures silently making their way up the hill in an effort to surround the black riders.
"Ride on all day." Nimue smirked.
As the Moon shown down, Nimue saw that the figures were Jason and Ollie, both silent as ninjas.
Spinning around, she saw Ezreal on top of the cliff she was on, his normally excited face now completely stoic.
"When do we attack?" he asked quietly.
"Soon," Nimue promised. "Where is Ashe?"
"Right here." High Noon Ashe said as she appeared next to Nimue.
"I thank Bard each day for every flower that blooms, birds that sing, fish that swim and the light of the moon." Ezreal said to himself.
"Jason is going to cause a distraction." High Noon Ashe said.
"What kind of distraction?" Nimue asked, alarmed.
"That kind." She responded, pointing to where Jason and Ollie stood. Jason had his bow out and fired an explosive arrow at High Noon Hecarim.
It exploded; sending sparks flying and causing several black horses to bolt.
"Come on you punk!" Jason shouted at the Devil as he and Ollie ran, jumping onto a pair of horses and galloping away from the area.
"I love that guy!" Nimue said in awe, jumping down from the cliff as High Noon Hecarim turned to face them.
"Behold the might of Hell!" High Noon Hecarim boomed, charging at them.
Nimue avoided the attack and drew her sword. High Noon Ashe didn't even try to avoid, she simply charged straight at High Noon Hecarim, leaping and punching him.
High Noon Hecarim head-butted her and threw her down, raising his scythe to strike.
High Noon Ashe avoided and rolled away before drawing her shotgun and firing two rounds into the Devil's chest.
They barely did anything; they just seemed to make him angrier.
"Ride hard, ride fast, and don't look back!" Jason said to Ollie as the two galloped across the prairie.
Turning back, they saw a dozen black riders charging at them. Laughing, Jason urged his horse onwards before sliding off the saddle. He then flipped onto the horse's back as it continued, firing an arrow at the black riders.
The arrow flew and pierced the throat of a Demon, but it just ripped it out and roared angrily.
"Not the smartest idea." Ollie quipped.
"Well how was I supposed to know that?!" Jason snapped.
Flipping back onto the saddle, Jason spurred his horse further.
"How far do we go?" Ollie asked.
"We need to throw them off." Jason replied.
A spear was flung past his ear, barely grazing it as the horse reared though Jason managed to get it to calm down.
High Noon Hecarim swung his scythe and Nimue dodged while Ezreal backed to avoid.
"Why won't you die, mortal?" High Noon Hecarim asked.
"Because we are the champions, my friend. And we will keep on fighting to the end." Ezreal declared.
High Noon Hecarim swung his scythe again, burning the ground with hellfire before he charged at Ezreal.
The Prodigal Explorer teleported to avoid the attack and fired a bolt of arcane energy at High Noon Hecarim who avoided the blow.
Nimue leapt with a roar and tried to cut him but High Noon Hecarim sent her flying before twirling his scythe to deflect bullets from Nikolia.
"You mortals shall pay!" High Noon Hecarim roared.
Jason galloped in a circle as the Demons pursued him.
Ollie stood at a distance and fired an arrow that struck on Demon, making it screech in anger before three of them broke off and charged at him.
"Oh hell no!" Ollie rode away, trying to get away from the Demons.
Jason narrowly avoided a sword swing from one Demon and leaping up, kicked it away.
"Come on, punks!" Jason taunted, avoiding a knife thrown at his head.
Nimue raised her sword in time to block a strike, wincing at the heat levels. High Noon Ashe leapt, tackling him away.
High Noon Hecarim rose up and gave the Angel a brutal head-butt, sending her flying.
Nikolia and Chris fired their weapons as High Noon Hecarim blocked with his scythe before unleashing a blast of hellfire at them.
Nikolia and Chris dived to either side to avoid it while Ezreal leapt from a cliff and smashed his boot into High Noon Hecarim's face, staggering him slightly before he fired hellfire at the ground, the flames spreading.
Nimue flipped back to avoid and fired magical energy at High Noon Hecarim who avoided.
"Try all you want, mortal, your end is here." High Noon Hecarim said, slamming his scythe into the ground and the shockwave threw Nimue back into High Noon Ashe.
Chloe, Nikolia, Chris, Hook and Talos fired their weapons at him from a distance but he telekinetically stopped the attacks and sent them back at the five.
Only a well-timed Mystical shield from Nimue saved the five.
Jason kicked one Demon in the head before head-butting another and flip-kicking a third.
"I will remain undisputed. No matter what universe I am in." Jason declared firmly.
He kicked one Demon in a spin motion before ducking to avoid a blow and punched that Demon away.
Leaning back to avoid a punch, Jason kicked him in a spin motion.
High Noon Hecarim charged at High Noon Ashe who punched him back and flipping into the air, kicked his head.
Nimue chanted as her hands glowed. She fired magical energy at High Noon Hecarim who knocked High Noon Ashe away and raised his scythe to block.
Nikolia fired at him only for High Noon Hecarim who punched the ground hard, the shockwave throwing him back.
As High Noon Hecarim turned to continue fighting the others, he disappeared into thin air, stunning everyone.
"What in the Heavens?" High Noon Ashe asked with a dropped jaw.
The Demons that Jason and Ollie were fighting suddenly crumbled into piles of ash, shocking them both.
"What is going on?" Jason wondered.
"What happened?" Chris asked as all gathered around.
"I don't know," Nimue began. "All I know is that we need to reach San Francisco."
Earth-199999, New York, Latverian Embassy.
High Noon Hecarim looked around in shock at the sudden change of environment.
Soon however, his eyes were drawn to a tall, imposing, terrifying man wearing armor and a green cape and hood, with a mask to cover his face. He was sitting on a throne.
"Who are you? Why have you brought me here? Send me back at once!" High Noon Hecarim demanded, drawing himself up to his full height.
The man didn't respond instantly. He slowly raised his head and stared High Noon Hecarim straight in the eyes.
"I brought you here to bargain." The man said in a cold voice.
"Bargain? What do you have that could interest me?" High Noon Hecarim asked.
"I am offering you the opportunity to take over your world, in exchange for your aid." The man spoke.
"What aid do you want?" High Noon Hecarim asked.
"An army to take on the Heroes." The man replied.
"I shall aid you in this. But double-cross me, and you will learn what happens when a mortal crosses a Devil." High Noon Hecarim declared.
The man simply waved his hand and High Noon Hecarim vanished.
A ping sound was heard and the man opened a holographic screen with a Skrull on the other side.
"Paibok, what is it?" the man asked.
"We are meeting up in San Francisco in Timeline-5, but those annoying heroes are onto us. You might want to lend us a hand." Paibok said.
"I told you that your history of failure is extensive, Paibok. Change it…or I will change it for you." The man said coldly.
To his credit, Paibok didn't even flinch, he simply met his eyes. "I can handle my end of the deal. You handle yours."
"I will." The man said.
Closing the holographic screen, the man leaned back on his throne, eyeing a chessboard in front of him.
And then, Doctor Victor Von Doom smiled.
"If you want peace," Doom picked up a pawn. "Prepare for war." He moved the pawn forward.
HAHAHA! Yes, Doctor Doom has entered the cosmic game. He was the villain that I mentioned earlier who was backing the Skrulls.
Technically, Doom already entered the game, since I have the Fantastic Four in this series, and I alluded to him in 'Whatever It Takes'.
I will also confirm that Doom will be the villain of the final story of Phase 3, though we will see him again before that. Leave an actor suggestion for Doom.
So now we have met the High Noon versions of Ashe and Hecarim. Both are badass, both the original and High Noon versions.
Next chapter will feature a confrontation against the Skrulls and Doom, and we will then reach the final battle.
Hope everyone enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter. Stay safe ya all!