Chapter 119 [Early the Next Morning]

[A/N: Never say I don't listen to you all. One of you asked for more Marvel, here's what I have. Never teamed the Child with this guy before. This should be fun….]

Celebrations lasted well after Sol tucked himself below the horizon. Sam's violin in concert with Mr. Adams, Smallville High's music teacher on the piano and Mrs, Yates, Smallville Middle School's music teacher, on the flute. Dubois and Byron Moore read their composed stanzas. Toasts and Well Wishes echoed into the night….

[Luthor Mansion—1:45 AM]

Luna shone in the midst of her stars. A gentle breeze caressed the landscape. A few birds called from their branches.

The Rider stalked out of the woods. Glowing yellow eyes stood out against Shadow's inky backdrop. Its fangs glinted akin to a shark's. Gauntleted hands flexed. Tis clear! Come forth!

"Tis too easy! Our bonny boy sleeps w' the others?" Lichtenfeld smirked.

"Do not think it such." Ramensech looked about the area. He shook his head. "Nay. There's stirring about."

"Ah concur!" Grace scowled. "Grandsire wouldna be so stupid! He…."

Fer once, Gracie, ya show sense!

Grace rolled her eyes. "COME OUT!"

The Child stalked out of the darkness. "BOO!" He tossed one of his incendiaries in the air. "Knew ya'd come!"

"Step aside, BOY! The Spider an' his mate are ours!" The Rider challenged.

"NAH! We got some buddies here who say GIT LOST!" The Child's smirk grew even more snide and challenging.

"We're ready for ya." Xena stepped into the moonlight.

"I'm here." Jasmine descended from the tree tops. Her scimitar glinted in the faint light.

"You creeps are keepin' me up past my bedtime!" The Thing looked around at the others. "This your creep squad?"

The Child spat on the grass. "Yup." He struck a match and lit the stink bomb. Then he whipped it at the Coven. "TAG!"

"Tag? Wha's this?" Grimm curled his lip. "IT'S CLOBBERING TIME!" He charged on his rocky feet. He held his breath. He thought of a few curses.

The Rider's fists knocked Grimm across the clearing. "BACK, CREATURE! AH'LL KILL YE FORE THE SPIDER!"

"Nah!" The Child knocked the Rider back with a blast of his own. "Ah like Rocky t'ere!" He knew Xena and Jasmine would more than hold their own with Ramensech, Lichtenfeld and Grace under the herbal mist's conditions. The energy surrounding the town and of the Talon strengthened him. His eyes turned crimson. He ground his teeth.

"AYE! TURN! LET THE DEMON OUT, BOY!" The Rider challenged. It looked around to see the other witches disoriented and losing badly.

A boulder bowled into the Rider from the left side.

"That's payback, Mack!" The Thing rubbed his hands together.

"PAY ATTENTION, DUM'ASS!" The Child spasmed. He felt himself regressing. "Tha' ain't gonna stop that creep!"

Sure enough, the Rider picked itself up. It straightened the tall Puritan hat. "Ye'll pay fer that!"

"He for real? What's he got against the Web Head? Maybe Doc Strange should…" The Thing threw a wicked right cross and barely knocked the Rider back.

"The Fraud's the reason they're here! Ah hate that buttwipe!" The Child blasted the Rider again. "Stay back, both of ya!"

"The master made me stronger!" The Rider's eyes glowed brighter. Energy crackled around its fingertips.

"Goodie fer ya! Ah…AH….SHIT!" The Child Screamed. The dark flames consumed his form.

"Geez! Now what?" The Thing stared.

"You keep back." Xena shook her head.

The Destroyer snarled low. Its red eyes glinted ruby fire at the demon wizard. It threw dark fire and a chasing blast.

The Rider staggered under that onslaught. It had no chance against the demonic enforcer's barrage. "ONE DAY, THERE'LL BE AN ACCOUNTIN'!" It disappeared from view.

The Destroyer screeched into the night.

"An' I thought there was only one Hulk!" The Thing presumed.

"He's the dark magic version, Mr. Grimm." Jasmine watched the Destroyer tremble. She saw the obsidian fires go out.

"He gone!" The Child growled.

"Ah'm left to deal w' ye!" Grace glowered. "Mah turn, Grandsire!" She channeled dark magic into her hands.

STOP! YOU WILL NO LONGER SERVE THE DARKNESS, GRACE SASKEL! BE AS YOU SHOULD BE! A voice boomed down from the sky.

A pillar of fire shot down from the night sky. It enveloped the spectral sorceress. She screamed loudly. She turned solid. She de-aged from adult and into her teenage years.

NOW YOU WILL SERVE MY WILL! BE A SERVANT OF GOOD, CHILD! the Voice challenged anew.

"Geez! And now we get friggin' miracles? Yeesh! Rabbi Satsky ain't gonna believe this! Ya got this? I'm going back to the house! Stretcho and the others'll wanna know!' the Thing turned back toward the structure in question.

The teenaged girl staggered to her feet. She wore a white shift bound at the waist with a rope. Her rouge hair went every which way. "Gr…Grandsire?"

"Gracie? GRACIE!" The Child rushed over to her. He grabbed onto her.

"You know her?" Xena frowned. She exchanged glances with Jasmine.

"Ah do. Ya'll don'. Big Bro don' yet!" The Child held the little girl tight. "Ask Cranie or Jenny. He'll tell ya!"

"Don't leave me, Sirrah! Please!" Grace begged.

"Ah ain't leavin' ya. 'Mon! Yer w' us!" The Child took the little girl's hand. "'Mon!" With that, he disappeared into the night.

"By the Prophet, that was a miracle like in our holy books!" Jasmine declared.

"Yeah. Come on." Xena batted the brimstone fumes away. She stepped on the carpet.

Jasmine flew them back toward the house and the questions that waited….