1Chapter Four: First Blood Pt 1
Batman had stayed true to his word. Within a day of Robin's call the dark knight had Wayne Enterprises trucks and workers out to Jump City, making the equivalent of a small town in buildings. In three weeks a plethora of hastily, though well constructed buildings sprawled out outside of Jump City.
Einderan stood on a hill, overlooking it. The Refugees were mainly from Azarath, and they were a fairly adaptive people. This change in environment had been taken in classic Azarathian stride.
He sensed a presence behind him, and turned to see a tall, well built man wrapped in a black coat an a mask covering the top half of his face. Almost like a bat...
"You have done much for us. We are in your debt, Batman."
"If you can figure out a way to stop the world from ending we can call it even Einderan."
"Ah yes, the prophecy. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I can't help you with that."
Batman frowned, "Why not?"
"My sister's prophecy, her fate as it were, is exactly that. Her's. Not mine. Not Mael Kirheinse's or this man they call Slade's or even my father Trigon's. This is her destiny. It's her decision, her choice. A choice that no one can make for her. If I tried, my body would be ripped apart by the magic I would be trying to control."
"So, what you're saying is it's her choice and you can't help her make it."
"Yes."
"What about stopping Trigon's invasion if it happens? Could you help then?"
Einderan shook his head slowly, "If that is the choice my sister makes then I can do nothing to stop it. This is not so much a matter of fate as it is of power. I can't defeat my father. Not at his current level of strength. Not with the armies he commands. The most we could do is save as many people as possible, and that's it. But there is also a small matter of fate to be considered here. By attempting to change the outcome of Raven's decision I would indirectly be trying to affect the decision itself."
"Raven holds the power to either save or destroy the Earth, and there's nothing any of us can do to help. Great."
"Nothing I can do to help you mean. However, you can."
"Me?"
"Earthlings in general. People who call this place home, truly consider this their place of being, and accept it as such. Many people don't qualify, as they consider the Earth just a place, but there are some that do. Most of your 'superheroes' do, because they lay their lives on the line for their home. Since Raven's fate is the fate of Earth, you can do whatever you want to help or harm it, because it is your fate as well."
"So if you made this your home you could help?"
"But this isn't my home. My heart is somewhere else. Please, do not question me about this further. I would help if I could, but I can't. All I can do is encourage my sister, help her stand through this as her brother. If I use my magic though, to either help or harm this world, it would consume me in karma and tear my body apart from the inside out."
"Alright, I believe you. Now, what about this Mael Kirheinse?"
Einderan smiled with a hint of distaste, "That I can help you with. He has no part to play in this prophecy. We will find him, and seal him away. For good if at all possible. But you have my word, he will leave this world before we do."
Batman nodded, then briskly turned and dissapeared into the shadows. A small aircraft took off a few minutes later. Einderan sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "Or it could be a myth, but I really don't want to test it. That's the problem with non-spellcasters, they just don't get the idea of mystical rules..."
LATER THAT NIGHT OUTSIDE JUMP CITY, JUMP CITY MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON
A young man was asleep on his bed. His shortish black hair looked like it hadn't seen a brush in years, and his general persona was one of general unconcern. Even while he was asleep.
"Rocker."
His dirt brown eyes opened lazily. He looked over to the barred door of his cell, an eyebrow raised.
He saw what looked like a shadow that had decided to get up and start walking around. He blinked a few times, decided he was dreaming, then rolled over and started going back to sleep.
"Rocker, do you want to get out of here? I can get you out, if you help me."
'Rocker' raised his arm and made the 'blah blah blah' motion with his hand, then let it fall and drifted lazily off into dream world.
"Don't be that way, Kirk."
'Rocker's' eyes shot open, and he sat up to look at the shadow. His eyes were a mix of shock, confusion, and a little hope.
"That's right, I know exactly who you are Kirk Shepard. It's unfair what they did to you isn't it? You don't deserve to be locked up here, you weren't doing anything. It's not your fault what happened with your powers."
Rocker nodded in agreement, then his eyes widened and he shook his head fiercely. It had been his fault. He knew exactly what would happen, he had just deceived himself into thinking he could control it.
"You were trying to express yourself. You can't in any other way. You were trying to be understood, but no one does. No one understands, but I do. I understand completely."
He looked to the shadow, hope in his eyes. Again, he shook it away. No, someone had understood. Raven had understood being not understood. She could understand him, and showed him what he was doing was wrong. She understood... didn't she?
"No, she didn't. She tricked you, she doesn't understand or even care. No one cares. Except for me. I see the injustice of what's been done to you. You have been confined here, unable to do any of the things you like to do, for something that wasn't even wrong in the first place. Please, let me help you. Together we can show the world your brilliance, show them the meaning of justice."
Rocker thought about it for a long time. He had only been doing the only thing he could do right... There was nothing wrong with it... No, there had been something wrong with it. He knew the dangers of what he had been doing. He had hurt all of those people.
Shaking his head, he motioned for the shadow to leave.
"Come now, surely you can-"
Rocker repeated the gesture more fiercely, glaring at whatever it was.
It sighed and said, "Alright, I see you don't want my help. I'm disappointed. But please, do take this, as a parting gift."
Rocker watched in amazement as the shadow procured a guitar. An electric guitar. It was a black V-wing design, with an intricate silver patter going up and down it.
Rocker stood slowly, his hands twitching. He knew he shouldn't, that he would only hurt more people. But it called to him.
The shadow strummed each of the strings, each new sound causing the young man to flinch. Perfectly tuned.
His entire body was shaking now. He approached slowly, reaching out with a trembling hand. He couldn't resist. It was calling to him like a siren calls to a sailor. Finally, he gave up, and grabbed the guitar with the thought 'Just one song...'
However, as soon as he grasped the instrument, the silver pattern turned red, and crimson electricity ran up the guitar into his body. He tried to jerk his hand away, but couldn't. He gave out a silent cry of pain as the entire cell filled with eerie red light.
A flash, the sound of someone falling to the floor, and a chuckle happened in rapid succession. The shadow pulled back the hood of it's cloak, revealing the skeletal face of Mael Kirheinse. His red eyes burned with demonic glee.
"Arise."
Rocker stood up. He was now wearing a black t-shirt and leather jacket, both with the sleeves cut off, and baggy black jeans. He slipped the guitar strap over his head, and rested his arm on the instrument. He used his other arm to sweep back his bangs from his forehead, revealing a burning symbol.
'S', with a dot at the top and in the middle.
Mael laughed as in other cells similar things were occurring, red flashes of light illuminating the room.
He dissapeared, and teleported to the center of the room, still laughing. Rocker pulled a guitar pick from his pocket, set his fingers into a chord, then hit the not, hard. The sound echoed back and forth up and down the halls of the prison, and an unseen force knocked the door of his cell off it's hinges.
The doors of most of the other cell doors were destroyed as well. Villains emerged, all with the same burning insignia on their foreheads.
Control Freak tossed a remote up and down, wearing his old coat and clothes. Mad Mod twirled a new cane as he emerged, decked out in his suit. Mumbo Jumbo brushed off his hat before spinning it between his fingers and letting it fall on his head. Dr. Light used his newly acquired suit to make the 'S' of Trigon appear in mid air above them. Cheering was heard throughout the prison at the symbol.
But not from Rocker as he just walked forward to Mael. His eyes held a question, one simple question.
Mael looked at him, grinning demonically, "Go now, go to the outskirts of Jump City, and play a song that the world will never forget!"
Rocker half-smiled, before turning and striding out of the prison. Guards rushed into the room, shocked to see the prisoners released. They opened fire with stun weapons, but Rocker played another note, and knocked them all out. He aimed to the wall, and let loose another burst of sound. He walked out of the prison, still smirking. He was going to play a song never heard before in the history of the world.
If he could laugh, he would have been doing so madly.
HA! I'M ONLY POSTING HALF THE CHAPTER!
Part Two will be up tomorrow. Sorry 'bout the wait, writers block hit like mad. I know this is short and really kind of boring, but I promise the story gets good now. Promise! I just had to figure out a way to do some stuff!
Please reveiw.