Part 58

Love and Bullets

(Note from Ash: Yeah, I swiped that from a Nightwing collection)

By BobCat and Ash the Wanderer

Disclaimer: By reading this disclaimer, either aloud or silently, the third party (DC comics, FUNimation, Bird Studious, Rumihiko Takahashi, etc.) does hereby negate any and all copyright laws that pertain to this fic. So there!

Silently, Blockbuster prowled alongside the shadowed waters of the 2nd Bludhaven docks. There was no light save for the moon, which occasionally dipped behind a cloud (like it was doing now), making the docks as black as pitch. This annoyed Blockbuster, although not as much as his current problem: he had no idea where to go.

Vengeance has said the docks, but the docks were quite large, with warehouses, ship repair buildings, and a variety of other structures in various states, from being built to decrepit and condemned (and the ones being built wouldn't even exist if Blockbuster didn't need them to hide some of his wares). Not knowing where to go, Blockbuster had simply prowled around. If Vengeance wanted him, he would be ready.

But he had been wandering for nearly a half-hour, and he was getting annoyed and a tad worried (if that crazy bastard thought he was breaking the time set for him…). At the very least though, he was prepared. Vengeance, or someone related to him, may have erased their first fight from his memory, but his observations afterward and the glimpses he had caught of Vengeance since was enough. He was strong and fast, but the fact that he preferred bladed weapons was what Blockbuster had prepared for, changing out of his suit and into a thick Kevlar-based outfit. The material was quite thick, and would weighed a normal person down, but to Blockbuster it weighed no more then the suits. While his arms were bare to prevent restriction of movement, and his head was uncovered to keep his vision clear, the rest of him was armored up with the material. It would stop most bullets at close range, never mind knife blades. Vengeance was not the kind who would shoot him from a distance. He would want to be up close and personal. And that would be…

A spotlight suddenly came on. Blockbuster reeled back slightly as he was bathed in bright light. As his eyes adjusted, he saw he was near one of his being-constructed warehouses, currently just a mess of steel beams with some wood supports and an makeshift elevator to get to the high levels.

"Rollie!"

Another spotlight came on, and Blockbuster could see his mother on one of those beams. His eyes widened.

"Mother! Don't worry, I'll…"

"Be doing nothing at the moment, "Rollie'"

The last spotlight came on, revealing Vengeance sitting on another cluster of beams some distance away from his mother, with the controls for the spotlights in his hands. He put it aside and looked at Blockbuster.

Blockbuster felt the anger boiling in him. Well, if the fool wanted to keep away from his mother, that would simply allow him to…

"Eh eh! Don't move Rollie!" Erik said, as Blockbuster started forward. "Not unless you want your mother to get a splitting headache."

Blockbuster stopped dead, as his eyes went back to his mother, and above her. He should have seen it before: one of the cranes had been repositioned, holding a full load of girders. Right over his mother.

"Rollie! Help me!"

"Mother…"

"Just so you know, Rollie, that crane is linked to my computers. One move out of you, and SPLAT! Now, did you bring any men?"

Blockbuster shot daggers at Vengeance.

"No. I came alone as you asked."

"I hope so. Because I have devices set up in a five mile perimeter that is currently showing just you, me, and your beloved mother. I made sure all the homeless and such were gone before I called you. It should be just us three. If that changes…SPLAT!"

Blockbuster looked momentarily alarmed.

"There is my chauffeur…!"

"I know. I discounted him. I figured you wouldn't be able to drive here yourself. Well good for you Rollie. Oh, just one more thing. The trigger is linked to my pulse. If something drastic happens to it, say, IF I GET SHOT BY A SNIPER…SPLAT!"

Erik scanned Blockbuster's face, looking for any more alarm or worry. He found none, which meant he wasn't worried about that happened, which meant he had no snipers. Good.

"Well then Blockbuster, we are going to play a little game. We are going to see just how much you love your mother. Kneel down so I can kill you."

"ROLLIE NO! SAVE YOURSELF!"

"SHADDUP!" Erik snapped. Blockbuster felt his knuckles turning white under his gloves. "Well what is going to be Blockbuster?"

"I will never kneel to you!"

"OK then, bye bye Mommy!"

"NO! DON'T!" Blockbuster yelled. He felt enraged, sick, humiliated, and worried all at the same time. If he could find any way out of this…

But there were no options. He knew Vengeance would kill his mother without blinking an eye. And he couldn't let any harm come to her. Over his…dead body.

"You see, we can do this two ways Blockbuster. Your mother can attend your funeral, or she can be buried beside you! Your choice Blockbuster! Pick one!" Vengeance yelled from his perch. Roland looked back and forth between his mother and the vigilante.

No. He couldn't.

"Very well." Blockbuster said, lowering his head to hide his shame. "But I will not kneel. At least give me the dignity of dying on my feet."

"Rollie, no………….."

Blockbuster waited for the killing blow, and as the seconds ticked by, he slowly opened his eyes. Looking back up, he was surprised to see that Vengeance hadn't moved. Instead, he seemed to be considering something.

Then he chuckled.

"Amazing. Somewhere in all that greed and cruelty and lust for power, there actually is a love for a mother. I am surprised Blockbuster, I must admit. You were actually willing to die for her. Well, I can respect that. Move." Erik said, speaking the last word into his arm.

The girders began to move aside, away from his mother. Blockbuster blinked as they swung away and were dumped onto the ground.

"Call your lone man. Tell him to get your mother out of here. But as for you…"

Blockbuster was barely paying attention, as he pulled out his cell phone from the lone pocket he had. One quick call and he turned his attention back to Erik, only to discover he was gone. His combat senses flared, and he began looking around.

"Rollie!"

"Don't worry mother! You're safe now! I'll deal with this man who dared to threaten harm to you!" Blockbuster growled. He kept his guard up even as he watched his chauffeur run up the elevator, take it up, and carefully bring his mother back to it. Once they were down, Blockbuster motioned to get his mother out of here, and he did so, her cries of worry and fear for him ringing in his ears. He was going to…

And then the moon revealed itself again, and with it Vengeance, standing twenty feet from Blockbuster. Blockbuster whirled and faced him.

For a moment there was silence, broken only by a faint breeze, almost like two gunfighters of the Old West.

Blockbuster, freed from his worry, let his anger run wild, rushing and burning through him.

"You have given up your lone advantage. You have damaged my empire severely, killing my contacts, workers, and men. You have destroyed my homes and my equipment, and have even dared strike at that which I hold most dear. I will give you a death unlike anything you have ever seen. You will beg to die…but I won't let you. Not until I repaid every agony you have inflicted on me!"

Erik chuckled. Blockbuster glared at him. The man was mad.

"Agony…there's a word I'm familiar with…and it's also why you don't scare me, Blockbuster. No…this is not me throwing away my advantage. This is me making this more fun."

Blockbuster blinked as energy began to shimmer around Erik, swirling fields of black around glowing misty tendrils of white light, tossing Erik's long hair around.

"Are you at peace? Can you sleep at night…knowing what I'm about to do?" Erik whispered. The fields increased, the white swirling his left arm as the black whirled everywhere else. Blockbuster could sense the power, and he didn't like it. But he would not retreat. Never. He was not leaving this battle without the vigilante's head.

"Can you look me in the eye…knowing that I'm the judge…the jury…and most of all…THE EXECUTIONER."

The white energy flashed brightly, and suddenly the vigilante was holding a sword. The dark energy swirled and then swooped into Erik, his body absorbing the power. His left eye whirled and glowed crimson. With a sudden sharp movement, he snapped the sword up and pointed it at Blockbuster.

"I'LL SHOW YOU NO MERCY! NOW GET READY!" Erik yelled, and brought the sword up even as he snapped out his talons. When he slammed them together energy bolts flew. Blockbuster reared back in defense, but the bolts weren't aimed at him. Instead, they were aimed at the ground around Erik, blowing up and consuming him in smoke. When it cleared, he was gone. Blockbuster had a feeling…

"HI-YAH!" Erik yelled as he leapt out of the shadows next to Blockbuster. Blockbuster barely dodged the sword slash. Erik whirled and followed up his talons, only to find them bouncing off Blockbuster's vest. Blockbuster grinned fiercely and struck back. Erik rolled with the punch, barely taking any of the impact as he cartwheeled and flipped away. Blockbuster charged after him.

"YAH! HAH! YAH!" Erik yelled, swinging the sword and firing off shockwaves of white energy at three times the speed of lightning. Blockbuster dodged two somehow, but the third hit him in the chest with the impact of a charging bull. Still, Blockbuster barely faltered, running through the explosion and swinging at Erik. Erik dodged away and walked right into a backhand, sending him flying backwards through a pile of construction wood.

He flipped up and away as Blockbuster brought his massive fists down, shattering the concrete. His sword slashed out and Blockbuster roared as it cut through his armored pants and created a slash of blood down his thigh.

"Impossible! No blade…can…"

"That's just armor. This is the purity of goodness and love. No armor can protect you from it." Erik said. The blood at the Redemption blade turned black, and seemed to be sucked into the sword itself. In seconds, it was clean.

Blockbuster caught the next swing in his hand, his meaty palm taking the hard slash. He backhanded Erik again, a hard cracking blow that sent the vigilante seemingly across half the docks. Blockbuster grinned and prepared to…

"To me!" Erik yelled, and Blockbuster gaped as the sword literally dissolved and flew through his fingers, going to Erik's hand and reforming into a sword. His anger flared again, and Blockbuster charged.

Erik thrust the sword up.

"Come to me beams of celestial light!" Erik yelled. White light lanced down from the heavens and struck Erik's sword. The light fragmented like it was going through a prism and lanced into the ground on six sides of Erik, sealing him in a cage of luminescence. Blockbuster continued his charge anyway, sure he could reach through the beams that…

Were exploding out of the ground again five feet away from Erik. Blockbuster took two in the chest and head, feeling like he had been struck by a battering ram and sprayed with molten lead at the same time. He fell backwards, trying to ignore the pain.

And Erik was leaping through the air, flipping and driving his sword down towards Blockbuster. Blockbuster thrust up his hands and managed to slam them on the sword's flat ends, stopping Erik dead.

Only to have Erik flip off of the sword and slash out with his claws, slicing deeply across Blockbuster's face. Blockbuster roared at the pain and slammed Erik with his fists, sending the vigilante flying again. Blockbuster dropped the sword as he brought his hands to his face. The cuts were deep but ultimately superficial, and at least Vengeance had missed his eyes, which is what Blockbuster assumed he had been aiming for.

"Now your death will be ten times worse then before!" Blockbuster roared as Erik got to his feet, bleeding from the nose himself. He smiled through the blood and held out his hands, and his sword slid along the ground and back into his hand. Blockbuster charged at him again, and Erik brought his weapons up. He was hurt and starting to tire, but he was still thoroughly enjoying himself.

"What the hell is going on?" Phil said, as he and his expanded SU5 team, Celeste in tow, came dashing into the transport room.

Sam looked a little scared.

"We have a problem! We are approaching a major deviance in the DC Universe! If we don't intercept it…the results, for that universe and many others, could be catastrophic!"

"Erik!" Phil said through clenched teeth. "Open it up! We're going in!"

"But sir, there is one problem! We know there will be a deviance, but we're not exactly sure where it will happen! If it was a god or an army or something that large we could find it, but this is so…"

"I'll find him."

Everyone looked at Celeste.

"I love him. We're linked. He could go to the deepest of hells and he could never escape him." Celeste said, and Phil could tell she spoke truthfully. He didn't need Erik's talent to see it.

"OK then, open it up! Let's finish this before it finishes us!" Phil said. It came out sounding cocky, but in his mind, Phil couldn't help but worry he was being prophetic…

Erik flipped back, avoiding another Blockbuster charge. It was clear the fight was going his way. Out in the open was not Blockbuster's territory, and Erik was fighting at the peak of his abilities, using the Redemption blade and every energy power he possessed. The effect was clear on Blockbuster, who was cut and burned but still full of fight and twice as angry.

Erik took a few great leaps back as he began to summon his power. Let's see how much fight he still had after this. His sword glowed as black energy exploded on his claws.

"My new move! EBONY AND IVORY BLAST!" Erik yelled, as he raised his weapons above him and slashed them out in opposite ways. Twin beams of energy flew from each weapon and combined into a twelve feet tall slash of energy that barreled at Blockbuster.

Had he charged, it might have been the end of him. But for once he had held back, and that gave him time to dodge. The blast flew past him, digging a huge furrow in the ground before it struck a warehouse, blowing it up in a powerful explosion. Blockbuster reeled as he was pelted with shrapnel, and then turned back to Vengeance.

Erik hadn't moved, indeed, he was crouched over, breathing heavily. He was strong, but he wasn't like the Z Warriors, and a blast that powerful drained him, at least in this form.

Blockbuster charged, and Erik looked up as Blockbuster's bloody palm and fingers closed over his skull. Bellowing, Blockbuster lifted Erik up as he continued to run, planning to bring the vigilante down on his accursed head.

Only he was the one going down, as Erik grabbed his arm on the downward swing and used every ounce of his strength and momentum to flip Blockbuster over and slam him into the ground again. The concrete cracked and shattered at the massive impact. Then it cracked and shattered more as Blockbuster, who had managed to hold on to Erik's clothing, brought him down as well. Erik took most of the impact on his right (cybernetic) arm, but it still hurt like hell.

Blockbuster had taken the lesser impact and tried to punch Erik before he could rise to his feet. Erik rolled away, but his luck ran out as Blockbuster's fist came down on his right arm, pinning it to the ground and allowing Blockbuster to grab Erik with his other arm. Bellowing in fury, he swung and hurled Erik with all his might, sending him crashing through a pile of boxes and then into the girders Erik had threatened to drop on Mrs. Desmond, as the Redemption blade flew from his hands and clattered off into the darkness.

Erik tried to bring himself to his senses as Blockbuster stalked over to him. He'd been careless, and that last blow had hurt. He had to get his sword back. He thrust out his hand…

And Blockbuster's massive appendage closed over his arm. Blockbuster hit him hard, punching him across the face and then in the stomach, before a driving a massive knee into his torso. Finally, he brought Erik's body up and slammed it against the girders as hard as he could. He heard and felt a massive CRACK. HE grinned in grim satisfactions and hurled Erik away. He bounced off the ground a few times and finally came to a stop, his body shaking as he coughed up blood.

Blockbuster allowed himself a moment. He'd won, and he knew it. He'd felt the damn vigilante's spine break, and he knew what breaking bones felt like. Wiping blood from his face, he walked over to where Erik lay and picked him up, fastening him arms around him in an unbreakable grip. Erik's arms hung limply at his sides, unable to raise up and fight back. Blockbuster smiled through blood and broken teeth and began to squeeze.

"It took a long time, but I have decided on how I am going to kill you. Since you desired to crush my empire, I will simply crush you…slowly."

Erik groaned and coughed up more blood as Blockbuster increased the pressure.

"Where are your boastful taunts NOW, child? Have you anything to say to me now?"

Erik muttered something.

"What? What is it? The dead should get a last word." Blockbuster said, tilting his head in, being careful to avoid getting too close.

"…………………lollipop." Erik whispered.

Blockbuster's brow arched.

"Perhaps I have had my hearing injured, or you have simply lost your mind…but did you just call me a LOLLYPOP?"

"What…no…wrong word…"

And then every muscle in Erik's body tensed, and as Blockbuster realized that he still had control over all his limbs, white energy exploded on Erik's hands. His eyes cleared and he grinned.

"SUCKER."

And Erik thrust his arms up, aiming them at Blockbuster's face.

"LAST JUDGMENT!"

For a moment, Blockbuster could only marvel at the rather pretty color of Erik's second-most powerful attack as it stared him in the face, and then the giant blast exploded from his hands, enveloping Blockbuster. The docks echoed with his bellow of pain.

Erik and Blockbuster were consumed by a huge explosion of white energy, and as shrapnel blasted across the waters, two figures flew from it. Erik did a graceful back flip and a few somersaults as he landed on his feet, while Blockbuster simply came crashing down. Erik did a brief stretch as the explosion faded. A perfect result, if he said so himself. He cocked his head and looked at Blockbuster in some amazement. The man was actually trying to get to his feet.

"How…your back broke…I heard it…I felt it…" Blockbuster groaned. He had been in pain before, but never as much as he had just endured.

"It's not that hard when you have the right sound effects…and a flexible gel…to fake the sound and feel of a spine snapping. But unfortunately, you don't know that. Your loss."

The rage filled him again, and Blockbuster tried to get to his feet. Erik looked displeased, and began to summon his power again. The use of his second-deadliest attack had drained him, but he had enough left to finish Blockbuster, and that was what he was going to do. More energy, this time black, exploded on his hands.

"DEATH OF 1000 DEMONS!"

Erik thrust out his hands and black energy bolts began firing from his palms, dozens upon dozens of them. Blockbuster brows arched in alarm.

"Oh dear…" he said, and raised his arms in some kind of defense before the first of the blasts hit him. Explosions consumed him.

Erik kept firing, turning the area in front of him into an ever-increasing firestorm, firing blasts until all he could see was fiery destruction. Finally, he stopped, looking at the clouds of smoke, breathing heavily.

When it cleared Blockbuster was no longer standing. He was, however, still on his knees, his outfit in tatters and his body badly burned and cut. As bad as he looked, Blockbuster felt ten times worse. He felt like someone had thrown him into a blast furnace while beating on every inch of his body with sledgehammers. He tried to get to his feet, but his legs refused to let him stand.

Erik let out a short chuckled, and held out his hand. The Redemption sword slid across the ground and into his hand.

"Don't blame yourself for losing Blockbuster. After all I've seen and done…you're pretty much second string. But you fought well, and with a somewhat noble cause…I can respect that…" Erik said as he walked forward. Blockbuster barely paid any attention to him, as he tried to overcome the pain and get up. Erik frowned.

"Are you still trying to stand?"

And Erik let him have it, right in the center of his face with all the strength his cyborg arm possessed. Blockbuster toppled over, all the fight finally knocked out of him. Erik planted a foot on his massive chest and leaned over, looking into Blockbuster's face.

"This little game is over Blockbuster. But take heart, I believe you have suffered enough. Once you're gone, the underworld will be broken, and it will be simple for me to clean up. Then I can go home."

"What…are you…"

"My mother christened me Christopher Erik Damien Ravensky. People like you made me Vengeance. And now, it's time to die. My Redemption blade will expunge you, like you never existed. Nighty night, Rollie." Erik said, and raised his sword.

"ERIK! STOP!"

Erik was visibly jarred by the voice, as he snapped his head away from Blockbuster and towards it. His surprise faded, replaced by pleasure.

"Celeste! I didn't expect to see you here, although I'm not surprised. Paul and Laura send you to check up on me?"

"You might say that." Celeste said, as she stepped from where she had appeared over towards Erik.

"I see. Well, let me introduce you. Celeste, this is Roland Desmond, AKA Blockbuster. He's done some very bad things, and for that I'm going to kill him. Want to help?"

"Erik, no. You can't kill him."

"I can't?" Erik said, almost playfully. "Let's see. Arm still words, sword still here. YES I CAN!"

"ERIK, NO." Celeste said sternly. Erik lowered his sword again, looking at his wife in some confusion.

"Why not?"

"Erik, think. We vowed to protect innocent lives, and punish the guilty. You've gotten carried away. It's this town, I know. It's dirty, so filled with Corruption. I can see why you would lose yourself in it. But Erik, you can't kill him. This isn't our universe. It's his, and everyone else's. It has its own fate. We're foreigners, outsiders, interfering with that plan. By killing him, you may endanger millions of lives."

Erik looked a bit confused.

"Think, hero! If you kill him, then he won't beat someone he was supposed to. Hence, that man won't train harder to beat him in the rematch, and since he doesn't have that training, he'll lose a future battle, and that changes another thing, and that changes another thing…until you may very well be destroying the planet. He's Corrupt, I know…but for the sake of the Pure of this world, you can't."

Erik blinked, as if he was thinking it over. Then he brought up hand up to his face and grimaced.

"You're right…god this place…what was I thinking? I must have been out of my mind…I don't think without you, I just act… I was a fool…"

Some distance away, Phil's jaw was nearly on the ground. He couldn't believe it. After all they had been through, Celeste had talked Erik out of someone he had been trying to kill for days. He really did love her.

Erik spun the sword down and looked down at Blockbuster.

"Well Rollie, looks like you have been granted a miracle, from a most unlikely source. But heed my words. Remember this feeling, helpless and broken. Remember this loss. And know that this is your ultimate fate, no matter how hard you try to erect an empire. As smart as you are, you don't realize you can never win. The meek shall inherit the earth, your kind will just lie in it." Erik said. He spun on his heel and left Blockbuster on the ground, already forgetting him.

The rage burned in Blockbuster, overcoming the pain. He would not let it end like this! He would show that accused vigilante what it meant to be broken!

Erik walked up to Celeste and swept her up in his arms.

"Missed you raven."

"Missed you too hero." Celeste said, and kissed him, long and deep.

"Oh no, it wasn't the airplanes. It wasn't even the Jedi and the Senshi and the future girls and the ever so abused and rakishly handsome Phil. 'Twas beauty that soothed the savage beast. Excuse me for a moment, BARRRRRFFFFFFF! BAAAAAAAAARRRRRFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!" Phil said, making fake puking noises.

"I think it's kind of sweet." said GoChibi. "They really do love each other.

"Crazy little things in love." Muttered Ralph. "OK, we may as well approach them."

Erik was still kissing his wife when they arrived. He broke it and stared at them, a wry look. For a moment Ralph was worried. What if he attacked again? Worse, what if his wife SIDED with him? Erik had been a big enough headache, he sure as heck didn't want to deal with…

"I had a feeling you people had a hand in this somehow." Erik said.

"Well your wife said it best. Now will you finally cease your mission and come with us?" Ralph said, asking nicely. Erik seemed to think it over.

"Nightwing is a true hero…I suppose he can take it from here…and I am tired. So very tired…" Erik said, relaxing a bit. Ralph felt great relief. He wasn't going to fight them.

"We must ask you surrender your sword." Phil said. "I know you don't like to…"

"Oh this? OK, take it." Erik said, and tossed it at Phil. Phil squawked and instinctively reached out to catch it. He caught it all right. Blade first. He waited for the pain and was surprised when it didn't come. He looked at his hand. No cut at all. The blade really didn't harm the good at heart. In fact holding it made Phil feel rather good.

"Can we go home now?' Omi complained. "This city smells."

"OK, OK." Ralph said, raising his watch.

And he saw Blockbuster, totally forgotten, raising the gun he had gotten from somewhere, aiming it right at Celeste. Ralph froze in place, analyzing the situation. Erik and Celeste didn't see it because they were looking at him. And his vision, almost forgotten, came roaring back as it finally made sense.

Blockbuster shoots Celeste to death. Erik goes completely mad, and Phil, and this city, and possibly this whole universe pays the price. NO!

Ralph thrust both of his hands out with such speed that he was concerned about dislocating his shoulders, lancing out with the Force in two different directions, knocking Blockbuster's arm up while simultaneously pushing Celeste away.

But not before Blockbuster had gotten one good shot off.

The bullet, so deadly for such a small and inconsequential seeming thing, lanced through the air. And Ralph realized just how hard fate is to stop when it slammed into Celeste's arm just below the shoulder, drilling through the flesh and nicking the bone, before it exploded out the other end and flew past Erik and into oblivion.

Blood splattered across Erik's surprised face.

Caught totally off guard, Celeste did what any normal human would do: she screamed. To Ralph, it sounded like a cat having its tail stepped on, a cry of sudden agony that filled your whole being and seemed to ask the world "What did I do to deserve this?" As she fell into Erik's arms, Ralph finished his Force push by knocking the gun out of Blockbuster's hands. But by then, that had ceased to be his concern.

Ralph thought for a moment that even though Yoda said that "always in motion is the future," fate seemed to have a way of doing what it damned well pleased, despite your best efforts.

Erik slowly lowered his wife to the ground, his eyes never leaving her, as she groaned in pain.

"Erik…ow…"

Dark energy suddenly danced in Erik's eyes, and Ralph felt IT, a dark violent force that suddenly seemed to come exploding out of nowhere and wash over him, all cold and vicious, like a shark. It made the Dark Side of the Force seem absolutely bright and cheery by comparison.

He flipped when Phil stole his wedding ring and dissed Celeste. What's he going to do…when she's in pain?

Erik slowly rose to his feet and turned his furious eyes on Blockbuster, the dark energy going blood red.

"You…shot…my…RAVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The Redemption sword SHATTERED, the blade fragmenting into crystal shards in Phil's hands as he yelped in surprise. Erik threw back his head and screamed to the heavens, and then blood red energy exploded around him and consumed him in the fires of hell. The ground began to rumble, as the shards of crystal the Redemption sword had been turned night black and shot into the energy field that had engulfed Erik. The energy turned the same color and solidified around Erik, and then it snapped out as it formed into nigh-black metal wings.

Erik was now ever bigger then before, with night black metal forearms and hands, five foot blades jutting from his elbows, and most of all the huge metal wings on which blood red energy crackled. The same energy crackled in his now crimson pupils, the technology gone. The energy howled around him, like souls mourning his creation.

Redemption lived again.

"You…fool…Blockbuster." Erik hissed, his voice even nastier. "So, you want to play ROUGH?"

Erik held up one arm, and new claws snapped from it, even longer and nastier then the claws his cyborg arm had. The bloody red energy began to gather on it, even and more and more danced around Erik. Not surprisingly, none went near Celeste.

"WHAT…THE HELL!?!" Phil cursed, finally recovering from his surprise. He pulled out his Hero-Dex and scanned Erik's new body.

"Redemption. WARNING. WARNING. Subject is armed with unclassified power of ancient primordial destructive force. Limits: Unknown. Threat Level: 9 out of 10. SHIT! Erik only rated a 4 before!"

"You had a chance to walk away Blockbuster. Instead, you have proven the innate stupidity of your kind. Now…I will make you curse your mother for giving birth to you, and the Devil for granting you the wisdom to comprehend what I am about to do to you!" Erik snarled, and aimed his claw at Blockbuster, who looked rather worried at what he had created.

Phil rammed into Erik from the side, and the small blast Erik had begun to fire went wild and up into the air, coming back down into the harbor…

WHA-BA-BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The whole harbor was suddenly consumed in a gigantic expanding black energy explosion, the water vaporizing as it expanded out and back towards the docks. Phil recoiled and leapt back from the massive power surge. This wasn't Chi. This was worse.

"STOP!" Erik yelled as he thrust out his hand, and the explosion did just that, the energy dissipating and being absorbed back into Erik as he turned to face Phil. And he didn't look happy.

"You. You have interfered in my quest. You have caused me pain. But I can forgive that. But now…you insist on standing to protect the man who shot my wife? WHY?"

"Because it's my job!" Phil said, striking a combat pose. Erik's features twisted into a look of pure rage.

"Then I owe you pain."

And Erik snapped out his claws, and red lightning shot from them and struck Phil. He screamed at the sudden burning as it wracked through his form.

"Phil/Father/Teacher!" the three young future girls said as they saw the man they all loved in a way get zapped. "GET HIM GIRLS!"

The three girls flew at Erik. His turned his head as he saw them coming.

"STAY OUT OF THIS CHILDREN!" Erik roared, as he reared back and slammed his fist into the ground. The three girls screamed as a massive explosion of power blasted out of the ground below them and everything around them in a hundred-foot radius. Phil saw this, and his anger exploded through him.

"YOU ASSHOLE! YOU SAY WHAT YOU SAY, AND THEN YOU DARE TO HARM INNOCENT CHILDREN?"

"That was Vengeance. I am Redemption. I destroy my enemies!"

Phil blasted at Erik…only to come to an abrupt halt three feet in front of him as burning energy tendrils exploded from the ground and wrapped around his feet.

"And if you stand to protect my enemy, YOU ARE MY ENEMY." Erik hissed, as he folded his arms. Then his wings suddenly twisted and began snapping out, striking Phil with lightning quick blows. Phil was racked by the strikes as they broke through his guard. This is bad! Whatever restraint Erik had before just went out the window! Now he's striking at anyone he deems a threat…SHIT THIS HURTS!

Erik raised one of his arms as four black balls of energy rose up around Phil, and then they closed in around him, exploding. Erik raised his other arm and a ball of energy three times their size appeared above his head. He threw it into the explosions and they multiplied tenfold, a bolt of black energy exploding into the sky. Ralph saw Phil's smoking form fly limply through the air and go crashing down through a warehouse. GOOD LORD! How much power does that destructive force have if it can hurt Phil like that?

Erik turned and focused his attention on Ralph and Ecks, and he gulped. Enough to hurt me a lot more!

"Ralph, what do we do?" Ecks said, clearly scared.

"We fight! We have to stop this crazy bastard before he levels the entire city!" Ralph said.

"Crazy bas…um Ralph, don't isspay off the uriousfay igilantevay armed with the rimordialpay orcefay of estructionday!" Ecks said.

"OOTAY ATELAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Erik bellowed, and started towards the two.

"Stay back Ecks!" Ralph said as he unsheathed his lightsaber and ignited it. Trying to boost his confidence, he mumbled the Jedi Code to himself. "There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no death, there is the Force." Ralph swung his lightsaber in a wide arc, hoping to catch him in the side of the head. Erik swung at the same time.

The blade suddenly cut out, and Ralph blinked in surprise. He opened his hand to find the hilt in three pieces. Impossible…NO WAY! He didn't just somehow swing his claws through the gaps in my fingers!

"You want force?" Erik said as he raised one hand. "THIS IS FORCE!"

Later, Ralph likened the experience to getting smacked with a giant pillow, as a tremendous impact from Erik suddenly sent him flying backwards like a shot. He used the Force to slow himself down and cushion his landing, but it still hurt.

Then Erik began firing after him, thin lasers, and Ralph was rocked by them as they struck him in the hands, chest, and finally the face, like Erik was slapping him around (again though, just impact, no burning and little pain).

"You know, as warriors, you Jedi are ALL WASHED UP!"

Another gigantic pillow strike. This time Ralph went into the harbor, skipping along the water a few times before he finally sank below. Erik turned his gaze to Ecks.

"You wanna try something, oh Innocent One?"

Ecks shook her head, terrified.

"Good." Erik said, and turned back to find Blockbuster. He took a few steps and then whirled, zapping the IRS Audit gun out of Ecks' hands.

"Oh no you don't." Erik said, and fired off another blast, blasting the Reality Checker on Ecks' side to scrap. He fired off another blast into the harbor, and Ralph yelped as the blast clipped him and destroyed his Reality Checker too. The girls weren't carrying any, and pretty much everything Phil had on him had been nuked when Erik had let him have it.

"Your know girl, bravery is just stupidity in dangerous situations." Erik said, and turned back to Blockbuster again.

Then the entire warehouse Phil was in exploded as he rose up in full SSJ Mode. He wiped blood from his mouth and spat.

"Oh, you have been asking for this FOR A LONG TIME!" Phil roared, and flew at Erik. Erik's wings snapped out and Erik himself was airborne, his power always crackling around him.

End Part 58