A Painful Ordeal

A/N: If you have a suggestion to add to this story, I'd love to hear it. I want to observe all ways this story can go. On an unnecessary note, this story has had over 950 hits! I feel very proud of this story and it only drives me more to finish it.

Captain Atom delivered blow after blow with his nuclear powered fists to the leech monster, unrelenting in his assault. He focused his attacks on the creature's head, the shape of it becoming more disfigured with every blow.

"Sick monster," Captain Atom muttered as he delivered a powerful uppercut to the monster's chin, the blow forcing him backwards. Captain Atom moved to strike again but the monster used its newly gained powers to create a prism of ice that hid him. Atom easily shattered the prism but saw nothing within it.

From the ground behind Captain Atom, the leech emerged from the ground, its mouth open and ready for some new energy. Captain Atom turned around just as the creature went for him, but a large green hand pushed the monster into the wall. Captain Atom looked up into the sky and saw Green Lantern projecting the large hand.

"Always happy to help a fellow Army member," Green Lantern said with a smile. The moment was interrupted by a ray of ice shooting at him. Green Lantern lost the form of the hand so that he could dodge the attack, moving right as Steel moved left. Steel then let loose laser fire from the laser barrels that revealed itself from his wrist compartment but the monster dodged it.

"He's getting better," Captain Atom said as he let loose his own brand of attacks, making sure not to let out too much radiation at a time.

"But we're still better," Green Lantern said as he let loose a beam of green energy. The attacks had created a cloud of smoke around them and the moments following, the three found that it was a mistake. A sonic scream struck down the three, Green Lantern and Steel falling on a building rooftop.

Captain Atom looked up at the approaching creature, trying to get up. The creature moved in but a rock struck it on the head.

"Hey ugly! Over here!" a voice yelled at the creature as more rocks were hurled at it. Captain Atom turned his neck weakly as well, surprised at his savior, the Flash. He was childishly shaking his butt at the creature, all the while blowing a raspberry. "Come and get me you big load!" The creature replied with a blast of ice, which Flash easily side-stepped. "C'mon! My grandma has better aim than you!" Flash taunted.

Captain Atom found the whole thing incredibly childish but he had to admit, it did buy him some time. Taking advantage of it, Captain Atom blasted the distracted creature with a powerful blast of nuclear energy, blowing it into a lamppost.

"You okay?" Green Arrow asked as he appeared in the Captain's view, holding out his hand with a smile. Captain Atom took it and Green Arrow helped him up, just as the creature came up behind them.

In the nick of time, Supergirl rammed her Argonian fist deep into the leech's cheek, sending it sprawling toward Flash, who avoided it. "That was for before," Supergirl said with a smug smile. The smug smile was gone as the leech came flying at her with an elbow to her gut, sending her several blocks away. It then roundhouse kicked Captain Atom, sending him into Green Arrow, who both slammed into the wall.

"Ow," Green Arrow said with Captain Atom's back pressing him against a brick wall like a sandwich.

Flash came running toward the leech but it merely created a floor of ice, sending the speedster slipping and sliding on the ice. Steel then swung his large hammer at the thing, but it easily caught it and threw Steel straight at Flash, landing on top of him.

Green Lantern and Wonder Woman came at the leech next but it smacked away Green Lantern and punched Wonder Woman in the stomach, causing her to keel over. Standing ominously over Wonder Woman, the monster opened its mouth, ready to absorb some more energy, but was interrupted by something slamming into its back that had the force of an elephant, which forced the monster to go flying several yards away.

"You okay?" Vixen, the attacker, asked Wonder Woman as she helped her fellow Leaguer up.

"Mostly," Wonder Woman answered as she put her hand to her stomach.

Vixen suddenly saw the leech flying straight at her and Wonder Woman but only made it halfway as it was stopped by a giant green hammer slamming it into the ground. Vixen looked up to see Green Lantern, who was smiling at her.

"Thanks," Vixen said as she helped Wonder Woman stand up.

"Your wel…" Green Lantern began to reply before the creature pushed the hammer off him, who slammed the creator of the hammer with a hammer of its own, an ice hammer specifically.

"Joh…argh!" Vixen never got to finish what she started saying as the creature knocked away Wonder Woman, grabbing Vixen by the neck. It then put its mouth to her neck, beginning the absorption process. The super model/hero's pupils rolled back and Vixen let out a final scream before she slipped into darkness.

Green Lantern looked up and horrified at what he saw, let out a scream. "MARI!"

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A small, frail ogre picked at the piece of meat that was cooking in his fire, retracting his finger when he felt the intense heat. Even with the searing pain on his finger, he smiled hungrily at the meager meal.

Suddenly, a red portal opened up nearby the fire, the sudden change in the atmosphere creating a wind that put out the fire. It also knocked down the piece of meat on a stick down onto the dirty floor. The ogre stared at the meat, then at the two figures appearing from the portal.

"Well this is an interesting place to show up," Shayera commented with dissatisfaction as she looked up at the twilight sky.

"We must hurry, time is of the essence," Dr. Fate said before taking off into the sky, Shayera quickly following.

The ogre just stared at the event that just happened, drool dripping out of his open mouth. He then looked at the dirty piece of meat, slowly processed the sight, and then pounced hungrily on the meat.

Up in the air, Dr. Fate flew over the vast canyons that spanned the horizon, the fading reddish sun disappearing behind. Shayera, who closely followed, eyed the magician. She noticed the odd body language that Dr. Fate gave off.

"Where are we going?" Shayera asked, careful not to prod the situation.

"The Council. We're going to need permission if I am to take anyone anywhere beyond this dimension," Dr. Fate answered, his shoulders slumping slightly but Shayera still caught it.

"You really don't want to see them do you?" Shayera said, crossing her arms as her wings flapped gracefully in the air.

"Am I that easy to read?" Dr. Fate asked as he turned his neck to look at his friend.

"I'm a detective, it's my job to read people," Shayera said with a smirk.

"Well, my activities were always troubling to the Council but ever since the day that creature escaped, I lost all respect from them," Dr. Fate said with remorse in his tone, something Shayera had never heard before from him.

"Always?" Shayera questioned, raising a brow.

"Yes, after all, I do much in my work, dangerous work, as you may know," Dr. Fate explained, picking up his pace. "But what I did…it was too much for them. I don't know if I'll ever regain their trust."

Shayera frowned at his words. Feeling a wave of empathy, she put a slender hand on his shoulder and whispered, "Don't worry, people forgive. I learned that firsthand."

Dr. Fate looked at her, a smile forming underneath his mask. "Thank you Shayera," Dr. Fate said. Still, Shayera couldn't help but feel that Dr. Fate still wasn't feeling completely better. "Let's hurry," Dr. Fate said, going even faster, with Shayera following closely behind.

XXXXXXXXXX

Aboard the Watchtower II, J'onn stood on the bridge, his eyes glowing. The Atom, a.k.a. Ray Palmer, came up to the Martian.

"What's going on?" Atom asked, expecting the worst.

"They're frantic. They say they're facing impossible odds," J'onn said, staying calm.

"From one single being?" Ray asked skeptically.

"AMAZO provided a similar challenge, as you remember. But from what I can tell, they say this being can become more powerful then AMAZO," J'onn explained, frightening the people that heard him.

"More powerful than a god?" Ray asked, worrying crossing his features. Although J'onn did not answer, Ray knew it anyway. "So what are we going to do?"

"Until Dr. Fate and Shayera can find a solution, I'm going to send someone from outside the League," J'onn said.

"One person?" Ray questioned, unable to believe the Martian's battle plan.

"The more people we send in, the greater risk we take of the monster becoming more powerful," J'onn explained clearly.

Ray concurred with a nod. "Who are we sending in?"

"The monster absorbed the power of Superman. Who do we know that can provide an equal challenge?"

Ray thought about it for a moment and the realization hit him. "Him?"

J'onn only nodded.

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Author's Replies

Trebeco: Superman being down wasn't planned at first but hey, how else could the monster provide that big a challenge? I'm glad you liked my little SGCA. I felt it was necessary. I'd also like to thank you for your constant reviews.

DS: Yes, I am proud of my action scenes. I'm glad that Shayera and Inza were appreciated, I've felt that those two's relationship was overlooked. Thank you for your positive feedback!

Doc-trigger: I feel very happy that you chose this story to read above all other Flash-angstless fics. And don't worry, that fic will be coming soon.

Gotham's Princess: You'll be surprised at what happens later on. Can you guess who's coming in to help the League?

Skite: Stroke it? Interesting… Thank you for the review.