Whew, this chapter was a lot like the last one, a chore to write due to its similarity with the canon episode. Thankfully, I got to have a bit of fun at the end, and this will fortunately be the last chapter that is in any way similar to canon. Because after this, the plot of the show will get such a rough and brutal fucking that you'll think it's the script of a Tarantino film. I'ma get medieval on it's ass!
Chapter 32: Revelations
Today was proving to be a slow day at the Cave. Krieg personally would have preferred to take the opportunity and return to Los Angeles for some patrolling, but alas, orders compelled him to stay with the team. Something about 'teamwork' or some other asinine excuse, he could not accurately remember since he tuned out most of the following explanation. Some small part of him was growing increasingly worried over his escalating disrespect towards his superior officers, but it was becoming harder and harder to care about that. Besides, what use was teamwork when none existed? Case and point, his current situation of spectating Robin and Aqualad sparring.
This was their third bout, and neither of them had even bothered to ask Krieg whether he wanted to spar as well. Not that he actually wanted to in the first place, but that was beside the point. Something had changed after India, a balance in the team had been shifted. They tried to hide it, but Krieg had noticed how the team was now trying to avoid him, trying to exclude him wherever possible. Of course, the bastards were too polite to actually say what they obviously wanted to say, but it was clear their perceived notions of camaraderie with Krieg were finally gone. In any case, it seemed like they were finally done with their match, just as the two xenos came in side-by-side.
"You do know they're a couple, right?" he heard Robin whisper to Aqualad.
"I believe I knew before they did," Aqualad answered. Wait, they're together? Krieg had most certainly not noticed that little detail. But it really should not have been surprising now that he thought about it, filth attracted filth after all. Speaking of filth, here came the remaining two members of the team, the archer and the mutant.
"Do we tell them?" Robin asked.
"It is not our place," Aqualad answered. Tell them what, that the xenos were in a relationship? Well, in that sense, Krieg could agree with the abhuman, it most certainly was not their concern.
"So if Zatara is our babysitter of the week, why he's still here, and why is he eating my snacks?" Kid Flash was quick to complain, which drew attention to two people Krieg had done his utmost to ignore the last few hours. Abominable heretics and sorcerers, they both belonged on a pyre and not in the Justice League.
"Recognized, Batman, 02," the automated voice called out as the zeta portal powered up. Seconds later, Batman stormed out, and he did not look to be in a good mood.
"Computer, national news," he ordered, and soon there was an image of destruction open for all to see.
"The initial attack was short-lived, but Metropolis was only granted a short reprieve. And despite the intervention of Superman and the Justice League, there seems to be no end in sight," a news reporter explained in the background while humongous plant creatures could be seen rampaging through the streets of Metropolis. Well, that's something you don't see every day.
"Should we get out there?" an overly eager Robin asked as the team assembled.
"No, the League will soon the situation under control, that's not why I'm here. According to your Intel, Sportsmaster supplied Cadmus' Blockbuster formula to Cobra," as Batman brought up the aforementioned information, Krieg started to put the pieces together.
"Who combined it with Bane's Venom to create Cobra Venom," and there came another piece.
"Which the Brain used to create his animal army," and yet another piece.
"The Brain also used Inhibitor collars like the ones at Belle Reve penitentiary," and now there was only one piece left to collect.
"Batman, is it possible these plant things are on Cobra Venom too?"
"I had Green Lantern run a spot analysis, the vines' cellulose does contain trace amounts of a Cobra Venom variant," and there was the last piece.
"This is not just the random acts of unaffiliated criminals, this is an organized movement of known League enemies," Krieg growled out. An inevitability, now that he really thought about it. With the League's unwillingness to permanently end a hostile, it was only a matter of time before they learned the futility of standing alone against multiple heroes at once and instead began banding together.
"Exactly, it's now clear that our enemies have formed some kind of… Secret Society of Super Villains. The attack on Metropolis is only the beginning," Batman confirmed his theory, right before Robin got to work.
"You got that right. Plant creatures have sprouted in Gotham City, Paris, Star City, Taipei-" Robin began, right before every screen turned to static.
"Dude," Kid Flash was quick to complain.
"It's not me, someone's cut into the satellite signal. ALL satellite signals!" Robin reported, right before the screens were filled by a face that made Krieg reach for his knife on reflex.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! We are tonight's entertainment! And you may refer to us as…" here, the Joker momentarily paused to swivel the camera around to point at his compatriots. "… the Injustice League," then one of said compatriots took over the explanation.
"We are responsible for the attacks on your cities. If you wish to save them, a ransom of ten billion American dollars is required. Delivery instructions have been sent to the United Nations. There is no time limit, but the longer your governments wait…" at which point the camera swiveled back to the Joker's grotesque face.
"The more people we get to kill as our little plants rampage across your cities. Starting right now. I'm a man of my word," at which point the Joker broke down in his maniacal laughter, right before the screens cut to static again.
"Roger that, Aquaman, the UN will prepare the ransom as a fallback. But it won't come to that," on that, Krieg could agree with Batman. These criminal scums were threatening humanity itself here, they could not be allowed to succeed. Robin meanwhile had rewind the footage and paused it at the image of all the villains assembled.
"Count Vertigo, the Joker, Poison Ivy, Ultra Humanite, Atomic Skull, Black Adam, Wotan! Seven heavy hitters! Probably behind nearly everything and everyone we've faced," Robin announced.
"There's your secret society," Kid Flash declared.
"Not so secret now," Artemis could not help but observe.
"Perhaps after India, they realized we would deduce the truth and saw no point in hiding any longer," Aqualad theorized. Wasted time, if you were to ask Krieg. Who cared why they had crawled out of the mud and into the light? All that mattered was that they had revealed themselves, and now it was time to beat them back into the filth where they belonged. They don't belong in the mud, they belong in a body bag, as usual, he suppressed his common sense and forced himself to pay attention.
"Yeah? That was their mistake! Right now, I say we go kick some plant creature butt!" Kid Flash announced with much enthusiasm.
"The Justice League will handle the plants, I have a different job for this team," Batman declared, which apparently did not sit well with the mutant.
"Aw man," he whined, but was thankfully rectified by the archer with a well-placed punch.
"With the plants attacking so many locations simultaneously, there must be a central control system. Your mission is to destroy it," Batman explained. It had the sorcerer worried for some reason.
"You realize what you're really asking them to do?" he asked.
"They're ready," Batman stated with finality.
"Ready? Ready for what?" Kid Flash suddenly asked, and received yet another punch from the archer. "Will you cut that ou-"
"Hello Wally! If the big guns are fighting plants, who do you think we'll be fighting?" she asked of him.
"I don't know! I guess we'll-" and then Kid Flash's sentence was halted by a slender finger pointed at the seven villains on screen. "Oh,"
"Well, Batman, I trust you're correct," the sorcerer relented.
"I trust you can locate the enemy," Batman stated. And suddenly, Krieg had a strong sense of nausea. Trusting the mission to sorcery? Madness at its finest. But he kept his mouth shut, knowing his opinion was of no value to these people.
"Indeed. Wotan's involvement suggest sorcery is part of how the plants are controlled. Robin, if you would provide a holomap. I'll search for signs of concentrated sorcerous activity," quick as that, a holographic map of the entire world appeared before them, and the heretical sorcerer set about his foul work.
"Etacol retnecipe fo yrecros!" Krieg could feel his skin crawling just hearing those blasphemous words pouring out of the swine's mouth. Without realizing it himself, his hand had grasped his kukri and slowly began drawing it.
"There! That is where you will find the Injustice's League's central control system," the sorcerer announced as a blinking dot appeared on the map, and it was enough to snap Krieg back to reality. Reluctantly, he let his kukri slide back into its sheathe.
"Coordinates locked in, the Louisiana bayou," Robin reported.
"We are on our way," Aqualad said, and the team quickly made its way towards the hangars. Reluctantly, Krieg followed.
"An unexpected wrench in our plans, master, wouldn't you think?" Anarky inquired as he and Azkillon watched the carnage from the safety of their base.
"Hardly. If anything, this could prove to be a great boon to us," Azkillon dismissed as he watched a building collapse under the plant onslaught. He could literally taste the terror of those trapped inside for the few precious seconds before they were snuffed out like candles. "After all these millennia, it still amazes me how fragile human life can be,"
"As you say, master," Anarky replied, having nothing else to add to the conversation at the present time.
"But enough of our indulgence, we must make preparations for our final recruit," Azkillon declared as he strode away. Anarky stayed behind a bit longer, watching as dozens more died in the plants' rampage.
"A decent enough warm-up, I suppose," he muttered to himself.
The flight to Louisiana was done in tense silence, as each member was lost in their private bubble of worries and preparations. In contrast to his fidgeting teammates, Krieg sat completely still, his mind at ease thanks to the blessed familiarity of the mission. Emotions and politics were of a most despised nature to Krieg, only in the chaotic swirl of live combat could he find true peace these days. When in combat, everything else beyond the mission ceased to exist, as it should be.
"What's in the duffel?" Kid Flash suddenly asked, pointing to an object resting at Aqualad's feet.
"Plan B," was the only answer he received. Suddenly, the martian started groaning.
"You alright?" Superboy was quick to ask.
"Dizzy," she answered.
"Martians get airsick?" Robin wondered.
"She does look a bit greener than usual," Kid Flash added.
"Not me, her," Miss Martian tried to explain.
"I feel fine," Artemis quickly assured them all.
"Not her, the bioship. She's trying to shield us, but-" her sentence was roughly cut off by something slamming into the ship, sending the whole thing spinning out of control before coming down like a meteor and bouncing across the water's surface. Krieg could feel every such bounce jarring his bones before the vessel finally came to a stop. Without hesitation, he disengaged the seatbelts and sprang to his feet, something he quickly regretted when an unknown force latched onto the ship and shook it around like a toy, an action which sent him flat on his back.
"This is getting really annoying," he grumbled to himself, right before something slammed into the vessel again. That something revealed its disgusting face when it ripped a hole in the ship. And was it Krieg's imagination, or did the ship actually scream in pain?
"He's hurting her!" Miss Martian screamed while clutching her head, which had her pet Kryptonian leaping at the enemy and sending him flying with a punch to the face. That however proved to be of very little comfort, as the ship was quickly submerged and began flooding.
"No, no way I'm nearly drowning three missions in a row!" he heard Artemis exclaim, but he was no longer paying any attention to the team.
"Xeno, open a hatch for us!" he roared as he searched for a way out. His airtight mask made the risk of drowning very miniscule, but he had no desire to be trapped aboard a sinking vessel.
"Below the water level!" she shouted back before diving. Reluctantly, Krieg followed her lead. Soon enough, there was a hole in the floor to swim out of.
"Out! Everyone out!" Krieg was already in motion before Aqualad had even finished giving his order, but he still gave a miniscule flinch at the psychic voice. A quick swim later, and the team were back on solid ground and got to watch their transport be dragged underwater by sentient plants. Wonderful start to the mission.
"She's in shock. She'll need time to recover," Miss Martian explained, right before Krieg was assailed by the worst headache and nausea he had ever had the displeasure of experiencing. His entire vision seemed to spin like a ship caught in a storm while a throbbing ache in his skull started pounding away. He valiantly tried to fight against it, but it was a futile struggle that ended with Krieg down on his knees.
"Vertigo," he could faintly hear Kid Flash snarl out somewhere to his left.
"Count Vertigo to you, peasant!" another voice spat back. Somewhere to Krieg's left, it sounded like Superboy was smashed around, but he could not be sure. Then, there was the noise of rushing water, and the pain vanished. Though still wobbly, Krieg was instantly back on his feet and ready for battle. He barely even heard Aqualad's order as he spotted his first target, the heretic known as Black Adam. Without hesitation, he drew his kukri and charged the abomination. Black Adam for his part only gave him a sidelong glance and a backhanded slap that sent him careening through the air and smacking straight into a tree. He was out cold before he even hit the ground.
The Injustice League had certainly invested a great deal of work and money in their little scheme, making sure their plant creatures could strike at every corner of the world. However, for all their might, there was one country that was spared from the onslaught, one tiny little island nation that still stood untouched. For there dwelt a power that even the Injustice League was not willing to cross. At least, not yet. Situated between Sicily and Sardinia, the nation of Zandia looked to many onlookers like just an insignificant Mediterranean island, fit only for tourists. The fact that it was the headquarters of the Church of Blood, a heavily frowned upon but still accepted religion, did not help matters. But few people knew the truth, only those knowledgeable in the arcane arts truly knew the truth about the Church of Blood. And even fewer knew who their deity truly was.
For this was no ordinary church, if it could even be called that. This was a cult of such power that even governments treaded lightly with them, and who worshipped a being of such cruelty and malice that even the likes of the Joker would be on their knees in terror. But as of late, the Church had grown quiet, isolating itself from the world. Its leaders had senses something, a premonition of things to come. The Great One was telling them… no, warning them of the future, and that had them worried. A decision had been reached, they needed answers, and they needed them now. So, with powers beyond those of mere mortals, the head of the church was watching the events playing out across the world. Not the plant attacks, for those were nothing but cheap parlor tricks to him. No, what had his attention was the events playing out in the shadows, the powers gathering under the heroes' very noses.
"It would seem our master has some competition," the man known only as Brother Blood muttered to himself even as he gazed deeper into the cauldron of boiling blood standing before him. To the uninitiated, it was nothing more than a macabre ritual. To Brother Blood, it was a gateway into the mystic world, a window from which he could see things that mortal eyes would never see. And now, what he saw unnerved him most deeply, as he beheld what could only be described as a global web of corruption, eating away at the very heart of society without anyone seeing the danger growing beneath their very feet.
"What should we do, master?" one of his subordinates asked of him. But Brother Blood paid him no heed, being more focused on digging deeper into the web, trying to find the spider that was spinning it all. He needed to know this, he needed to know who was behind it all. He would find the spider, he must find the spider! But in the end, it was the spider that found him. He could feel it gazing at him, its otherwordly power probing at him. In that moment, Brother Blood knew fear, for this being possessed far greater power than he ever could. More than that, this being was itself merely a servant to an even greater force.
Brother Blood tried to look beyond the servant and behold the true mastermind, but was assailed by such a vision of madness and chaos that he was forced to turn away. In the end, he broke the spell, and shut the window. But as his senses returned to his physical body, and as he staggered away from the cauldron, he could hear the servant's taunting laughter echo in his ears. It had let him go without a fight, because he was no threat to its grand designs. That knowledge angered and terrified Brother Blood in equal degree. He, who stood as the Herald of Scath and master of the Church of Blood, was deemed to be of no threat.
"Master?" and then he was aware of his followers again, who had watched him with growing trepidation.
"We wait, and watch," he announced to them as he slumped into his throne, exhausted and jarred by the experience. He could see the questions burning in all their eyes, but none dared speak it out loud.
"A war is coming, my children. A war unlike any other. But this was is of no concern to us or our master, so we will simply stand back and watch it unfold," he elaborated to them. The truth unfortunately was that he had his doubt that the Church could survive an open conflict with this new foe. Brother Blood may have powerful allies, but so had the enemy. Best then to let his enemies tear each other apart, and see what opportunities could be snatched from the fallout.
He was flying, that was the first thing that registered to Krieg once he regained consciousness. A quick scan of his surroundings revealed a most peculiar sight, consisting of a golden cage that trapped him and the team, and which somehow was flying.
"They awaken," that snobbish voice from before spoke up again, and it sounded like the voice was coming from… above them? "You're certain this will hold them?"
"The cage is impenetrable. Even the Superboy has no chance of escaping," a new voice joined in, and this time Krieg was able to spot the owner of said voice. Just one look at the man's unnaturally pale face, outlandish garments, his ability to fly, and the golden energy coming out of his hand made Krieg want to bury a knife into the creature's throat. In fact, he even reached for his knife in preparation to do just that, but only ended up grabbing empty air. His weapons had all been confiscated. Abominable sorcerer.
"You are not the only one trained the mystic arts, Wotan!" Aqualad stated as he tried breaking the cage. It amounted to absolutely nothing.
"Please, Atlantean, do not pretend you are in my league," the now named Wotan mocked, completely untroubled by Aqualad's escape attempt. Silence reigned until they reached what Krieg suspected was the Injustice League's headquarters, a vaguely dome-shaped building with a massive tree growing atop it. Sure, why not? But then, something happened. What it was, Krieg could not say with certainty. One second they were calmly flying through the air. The next, Wotan lets out a cry of pain and suddenly they were all plummeting towards the ground. Acting quickly, Krieg adjusted his fall and managed to land on his feet, the soft and squishy ground softening his landing quite a bit.
But there was no time to celebrate, for the enemy was now closing in on all sides. The very ground beneath his feet was starting to move and wiggle around, and Krieg dived aside as roots the size of horses erupted from the swamp, moving to crush him. Fighting was taking place all around him now, but Krieg was too busy staying ahead of the plants to worry about that. If only he was still in possession of his weapons. Then, the plants paused, as if the one controlling them was being distracted by something else.
"My baby!" he heard Poison Ivy call out, right before a series of explosions toppled the great tree atop the building. Seemed like Robin and the Martian succeeded after all. But then the fighting was back on, and the villains did not look to be in a forgiving mood.
"Kill them, kill them all," Count Vertigo snarled out as he and his compatriots charged into the fray again. Krieg quickly spotted his first target, the aforementioned Count Vertigo with his back to him and his abominable bodyguard nowhere in sight. Not about to let this opportunity go to waste, Krieg charged at the enemy, hoping surprise would carry the day. It did not, for suddenly Vertigo turned around and unleashed his power straight into Krieg. Yet again, his vision spun out of control while an agonizing sense of nausea almost floored him. He fell to his knees, groaning from the pain, feeling like his skull was about to be split in half. But Krieg would not fall like this, not again.
With gritted teeth, Krieg forced himself back up, even as his legs seemed to grow as weak as jell. Never give in, never surrender. With great effort, he forced his right leg to take a step forward, and he nearly toppled over from the pain. Then, he forced the left leg to take the next step, and he came so close to blacking out. Pain is fleeting, duty is eternal. Biting down with enough force to draw blood, Krieg pushed on, step by agonizing step as Vertigo poured everything he had into him. And the aforementioned villain had by now realized the danger he was in.
"Fall already!" he shouted as he intensified his attack. For a few seconds, Krieg's vision grew dark as his consciousness came close to being snuffed out.
"Kill the mutant, burn the heretic, purge the unclean," Krieg recited, drawing upon his strength to forcibly push on, even as his body screamed at him to fall over and give up. But the Death Korps never give up, no matter the odds. Now he was but a few steps away from the Count who was visibly sweating.
"No mere human should be able to resist my powers like this!" he screamed as he drew a blade hidden within his cane and lunged at Krieg. But his thrust, which would have skewered Krieg like a pig, ended up stuck in his Kevlar vest without even drawing the tiniest drop of blood. Before the Count had time to process this error, Krieg had already gotten a firm grasp on his enemy's arms.
"Ceramic plates, an investment I should have done a long time ago," Krieg growled out, right before he drove an armored knee up into the Count's groins and headbutted him. As the Count staggered back from the blow, Krieg pounced on him. A fist slammed into his stomach with enough force to cause the Count to double over before a kick sent him face-first into the dirt. But Krieg was not done yet, as he grabbed the arm still clutching the blade and brought his boot down on the elbow. There was a crunch, and a scream, and suddenly the Count's arm was bent ninety degrees in the wrong direction. The Count's screams were then promptly silenced with a vicious kick to the head.
"And stay down," Krieg warned, right before faint splashes alerted him of someone else approaching him. Turning around, he was met with none other than the Joker, the disgusting fiend approaching him with a crowbar in one hand and a knife in the other.
"Hello there," the Joker began, a sickening grin already growing on his face. Hatred swelled in Krieg at the sight of the creature, and a desire to kill came over him. Ignoring how he was barely able to stand on his own two legs, Krieg advanced on the Joker, cracking his knuckles in preparation.
"What? No comedic banter? No one-liners? Isn't that part of the superhero curriculum?" the Joker asked as they drew closer to one another.
"I do not banter with scum, I crush them," Krieg retorted.
"And I thought my jokes were bad," the Joker commented, and then he was off at a sprint. An overhead swing with the crowbar was dodged by Krieg and a knife thrust was sidestepped before Krieg was close enough to drive a knee into the Joker's side. That hardly even seemed to phase the madman as he spun around for a new attack, his crowbar bouncing off Krieg's helmet and sending him staggering from the blow. The Joker was instantly on him like a bloodhound, his knife coming in low. But Krieg merely hunkered down and let the knife bounce off the ceramic plate in his Kevlar vest. The crowbar then came down on his armored shoulder, but Krieg ignored the pain as he drove an uppercut into the Joker's chin.
The madman stumbled back from the blow, and Krieg happily took advantage of that as he stepped up to give a fist into his stomach and a knee to the forehead when he doubled over. Like that, the Joker collapsed into the mud like a sack of potatoes. Krieg moved in to finish the fight, but the Joker suddenly reached up and squeezed a flower on his suit, which promptly squirted a spray of acid at Krieg. He desperately tried to dodge the attack, but his right pauldron ended up splattered with the deadly mixture, and thus began disintegrating at an alarming rate. Krieg hastily tore the pauldron free and tossed it aside before turning his attention back to the Joker. Just in time to get smacked straight in the face by his crowbar.
"All the old familiar places," then there was a second blow that rattled his skull, and then the Joker was on him again, jabbing his knife into a gap in his armor and drawing blood. The crowbar came around again, smacking him in the side. But Krieg was ready, and trapped the implement with his arms. Unable to pull back in time, the Joker took a fist straight to the face, stunning him for a few short seconds. Seconds that Krieg more than happily took advantage of by grabbing the back of Joker's head and dragging him into a vicious headbutt with his helmet. Then the Joker's head was pushed back before being slammed forward again. Over and over did Krieg smash his helmet into the Joker's face, sending teeth and spit flying and painting Krieg's faceplate red with blood. Then, Krieg relinquished his hold, and the Joker collapsed to the ground in a daze.
"Wow, what a ride," the Joker slurred out, unable to get back up again. Krieg only gave a small grunt while removing the knife still stuck in his shoulder.
"So, back to the asylum now? Got some nice stories to share with Crane now," the Joker commented as he tried to force himself back up again. Krieg was quick to act, grabbing the previously discarded crowbar and smacking the Joker across the face with it. The Joker did not even have time to cry out in pain before an overhead swing cracked a rib and a follow-up kick knocked a few extra teeth loose.
"Oooh, like it rough, do you?" the Joker mocked, his face drenched in mud and blood but still smiling. Krieg did not like that one bit, so he brought a boot down on the Joker's chest, keeping him firmly pinned as he raised the crowbar and brought it down yet again with an audible crack. And yet still the lunatic was smiling at him.
"Going all the way, are we?" he asked, a glint of excitement in his eyes. Krieg knew that he should stop now, that his orders forbade any further harm done to the enemy. And yet he still raised the crowbar for another blow.
"I do not like to leave jobs half-finished," he stated as he brought it down again, hitting with enough force that the Joker's left eye was swollen shut.
"Ooooh, now we're talking," the Joker purred at him, still smiling at him as if daring him to strike the final blow, completely untroubled by the wounds sustained. It made Krieg see red as he gripped the crowbar in both hands and raised for a final blow.
"Krieg, stop!" someone suddenly called to him. Caught off guard, Krieg lowered the crowbar and turned to where the voice came from. He found Batman and the rest of the League watching him, with the remaining villains rounded up and put under guard behind them. Seemed like the battle was over, which meant his job was over now. But then he turned back to the Joker, saw that same sickening grin mocking him, and he raised the crowbar again.
"Stand down, Krieg, it's over now," Batman ordered as he took a threatening step towards the duo, but Krieg cared not.
"It will never be over so long as he lives," he answered, voice as dull and detached as always, even as his fury was boiling over on the inside.
"Maybe, but that is not for us the decide. We do not play both judge and jury," Batman countered, the same argument Krieg had heard a million times. It sickened him.
"Look around you, Batman, look where we are. People disappear in the wilderness all the time. Who will ever know what happened here?" Krieg tried to argue, his boot grinding into the Joker's battered chest. A slight grimace and a coughing laugh was the only indication of the Joker's pain.
"We will. He will get what he deserves in time. Now let him go, that's an order," Batman commanded. Krieg did not budge, crowbar still held aloft in preparation for a final blow. Krieg's grip on his weapon grew tighter and tighter until his knuckles turned white. Everyone tensed, expecting a fight to break out yet again. Then, Krieg threw the crowbar aside and stepped back from the Joker.
"Oh Batsy, always there rescue his beloved damsel in distress," the Joker taunted from where he still lay on his back, and Krieg stopped in his tracks. For a moment, everyone thought he was going to turn back around and finish what he started. But then he visibly relaxed his posture and kept on walking. Just as he was about to walk past Batman though, he stopped.
"One of these days, that lunatic will go too far. He will do something so terrible that not even you can forgive him. When that day comes, will you be able to look back on days like these and say that you made the right choice?" Krieg questioned before he kept walking towards the bioship. He was so ready to return back to base and put this all behind him.
Ah, another day, another hundred or so people dead, another grand time. Just your average day as far as Joker was concerned. Oh, some surprises were had with the skull boy, but he was old news as far as Joker was concerned. Stale and boring with his one trick of gratuitous violence. So now it was back to Arkham for a few months of R&R while he worked on his next round of fun with the Bat. Now if only this annoying police van would go a bit faster, that would be great. Good old Bats was too busy with other shindigs that he did not have the time to personally escort Joker all the way, so he had dumped him off pretty quickly to a bunch of people that would probably be the first ones that Joker killed when he got loose again.
"Oi, you mind hurrying it up? I don't have all day!" he snapped at the driver, even though it was unlikely he could hear him behind all that reinforced plating.
"Patience, we'll be there soon," his personal guard assured him. Silence reigned after that for God knows how many hours, before the vehicle at last came to a stop.
"Finally!" the Joker burst out, already looking forward to being dumped into his usual cell for some well-deserved shut-eye. Hm, wonder if they've been able to find a replacement yet for my last psychiatrist?
"Right, up you go, pal," the guard announced before he stood up and… did he just remove the Joker's handcuffs?
"What's this?" Joker could not help but ask as he rubbed his wrists. He knew that security at Arkham was abysmal at the best of times, but this was just plain ridiculous. Or had they forgotten how dangerous he could really be? Perhaps he would escape a bit earlier than usual, just to remind them.
"Trust me, you won't be needing them here," the guard assured him while opening the doors. And the first thing that struck the Joker was that this was NOT Arkham Asylum. In fact, it looked a hell of a lot more like an underground army camp, with thousands of psychos and mercenaries gearing up for war.
"Welcome, Joker. I trust your journey here was not too unpleasant," a smooth and silky voice suddenly spoke up before the owner of said voice stepped into the Joker's line of sight.
"Well, I can tell that you're not from around here," Joker commented as he beheld the red giant towering above him, a weird staff in hand that seemed to eye him no matter which way it was turned.
"Indeed I am not. I am Azkillon, Sorcerer of the Word Bearer Legion and Champion of the Gods of Chaos," the giant introduced himself, and the Joker's interest was instantly piqued at the mention of "Chaos".
"Now, you'll have to excuse my rather abrupt manner here, but time is running short here. We are planning a massive event that will shake the very foundations of the world, and I invite you to join in this endeavor," Azkillon continued, and the Joker found himself raising a single eyebrow.
"We?" he repeated slowly. The giant proceeded to lay a hand on the Joker's shoulder, followed by an explosion of light and colors before the duo suddenly found themselves in a completely new location, a dark room with a circular table at its center with twenty seats surrounding it.
"As you can see, we're quite an extensive organization, and we're growing stronger by the day," Azkillon began as eighteen shadowy figures stepped inside as well. "There's a war coming, Joker, a war for the very soul of humanity. This war will rewrite the very fabrics of society, and we're giving you the chance to partake in this grand change," to be honest, Azkillon really did not need to engage in a long and complicated rhetoric to convince Joker. He was already sold on the idea for a lack of anything else that was worthwhile to do.
"Where to I sign up?" the Joker asked with a sickening grin.
"Excellent. Everyone, please be seated!" Azkillon called out. The Joker was quick to snatch a seat as the other eighteen individuals stepped into the light. Some he recognized, others were total strangers. Finally, only Azkillon remained standing at the largest seat available.
"Our forces are gathered, our final member has been added, all the preparations have been made. We are closer than ever to our final goal. Now then…" and finally did Azkillon take his seat, completing the circle. "… Let us begin,"
