Episode 16 guys! You know what that means: ANGSTY ANGST ANGST
Also, side note: You may have noticed that I didn't post anything for, like, a week but then updated six chapters in one go. No, I don't have super speed (if I did, that'd be awesome there needs to be more female speedsters) I just have access to my laptop every second week, and not all the time. That being said, I still post on Wattpad because I can still post on mobile there, so be free to check that out if you're feeling anxious to read the new chapter.
But on with the story.
The team was forced to only watch as the Green Lanterns approached the giant alien ship coming down. The ring-powered-humans asked them to leave, but were only greeted by strong beam of light, propelling forward and hitting them straight on.
Right before our eyes, both Green Lanterns vanished.
I watched as Superman, Captain Marvel, Captain Atom and Martian Manhunter flew and charged at the alien ship, but they too were hit with the beam and disappeared before our eyes. Batman ejected from his ship, only to also be vaporized a moment later.
Zatara's face appeared on a live transmission on one of he holo-screens. "Tornado, did you..."
"Yes Zatara" Red said, as he was standing with us at the cave. "We saw. Celestial offences have failed. Initiate all terrestrial measures."
"Affirmative." Zatara responded. "See you in the field."
"I must join the league." Red announced. "We will protect the Earth at all costs, but should we fail: the responsibility falls to you."
Kaldur looked at us before answering. "We stand ready."
The team watched helplessly as squadron by squadron, the league's members got vaporized. The video feeds continued until the last one showed Iris West-Allen–Wally's aunt if memory serves–got hit by the same beam as Zatara and her husband. News reporter, Cat Grant, announced this as a transmission came in from Red.
"Red Tornado to cave, I fear I am all that's left of the league-""RED WATCH OUT!"
My warning was too late as we saw my mentor get hit by a ray.
"We are Earth's heroes now." Kaldur announced.
"The what are we waiting for?" Conner asked "A theme song?!"
(Favorite line)
"A strategy." Kaldur explained. "Earth's weapons are ineffective, and it has been made tragically clear a direct attack will not succeed."
"Checking satellite imagery." Robin stated as he pulled up a holographic globe with red dots littered everywhere. "Here's where the aliens are."
Conner pointed Northward where a lone for stood. "This one get lost?"
"It's Superman's Fortress of Solitude." Robin exclaimed.
"Superman has a Fortress of Solitude?!" Conner exclaimed, both outraged and confused.
"If memory serves, it holds all the lost knowledge of the late planet Krypton." I explained, trying to remember what I had read in a file once.
"Its power source must have attracted their attention." Robin explained. "At least enough send a scout ship to investigate."
"Must be some fortress..." Conner mumbled.
"Conner..." Megan said sympathetically.
"No, it's okay." Conner said to his girlfriend. "I guess there's a lot about Superman I'll never know...You know, now."
"We will target this lone ship." Kaldur declared.
"Break it down, build more: hit those ugly aliens with their own mojo!" Wally's enthusiasm was met by a punch from Artemis. "Ow!"
"Martian and Kryptonian in the house!" Artemis reminded.
"Um...Not that all aliens are naturally ugly..." Wally said awkwardly, making me facepalm.
We landed a few yard away from the alien airship as Megan ripped off the communication system and rendered it inept. Artemis took the West side and I took the East for protection.
"Communications disabled." Megan explained. "Repulsion disabled."
Artemis shot an arrow at the ship and a thick, hard, substance covered the opening.
"E.T.'s are sealed inside." Artemis established.
Kaldur and I took the que and used our elemental powers to force the ship down into the frozen water. Him weakening the ice and me forcing the ship down. The ship was about to vaporize Kaldur when Wolf grabbed a hold of the canon and redirected the attack. Wally and Rob were up next, Rob pulling up a holo-screen.
"Identifying weapon structural stress points and links to the ship...Here, here and here." Robin announced and Megan broke the points, making it open for Conner to grab the canon and begin the tear it off.
From my location, I saw to disk-like things fall and begin to glow; pointing at Conner.
"Conner, look out!" I exclaim, but before anyone could do anything: Wolf jumped in front of the attack and took it for Conner, causing the animal to disappear.
"Wolf..." Megan muttered, and Robin looked back at his screen.
"There was no indication of feedback...I'm sorry." Robin said.
"Nothing we can do for him now." Conner said bravely. "Let's go."
Finally, after one last tug: the canon detached, and Megan and Conner moved over to the bio-ship to connect it.
"Rerouting systems to integrate weapon into bio-ship's matrix." Megan explained. "I may need to de-camo for a few minutes."
"We may not have a few minutes!" Robin said urgently and we turned to see two alien ships closing in on us.
"Miss Martian, open fire!" Kaldur ordered.
"Can't, weapon systems are offline to incorperate the new canon!" Megan explained. "And that's not fully integrated yet either."
Artemis and I shared a look, "Everyone move!" "We've got you covered."
Artemis shot a flurry of arrows as I tried to push the ships off-course, which I managed to do to one. From the corner of my eye, I saw the other ship begin to aim at Artemis.
"Artemis!" I screamed. "Behind you!"
But it was too late.
Before my eyes, the beam shot and hit Artemis square on and just like the league: she disappeared.
"Artemis!" I scream, faltering in my attack.
"Get inside." Kaldur commanded as he ran out, lashing a violent water attack. "All of you!"
Faltering at first, I manage to force my legs to move as I dash towards the bio-ship, Kaldur right behind me.
As the bio-ship flew, I sat in a ball, hugging myself, as I let my grief and guilt crash into me. The league was gone, Red was gone, Artemis was gone!
I should have saved her...pushed her out of the way or something! But I couldn't even move! I was too damn scared that I couldn't even save one of my best friends! I took the one damn reason you used to justify becoming a hero and I failed! And now I have no mentor, no sassy-archer-girl-friend, and God knows if my family's still alive! She was my younger Damnit! She had so much potential and now it's gone, she's gone! And it's all my fault.
My nails dug into my arms as tears flooded onto my cheeks and sobs racked my body.
All my fault...All my fault...All my fault...
I think some of my mantra fell out from my lips but I didn't care.
I felt a hand touch my shoulder and I look up to see Kaldur looking at me, a serious and sorrow-filled look on his face but it was still the face I took comfort in.
"We can mourn later." Kaldur said steadily to everyone. "After we save the planet and destroy the enemy. Now we have a job to do: defend the Earth, and ensure that Artemis' death was not in vain."
His words did little to comfort my guilt, but it did slightly strengthen my resolve.
"Back to the cave?" Megan asked, face still tear-stained.
"The Hall of Justice." Kaldur corrected. "The human race must know that there are still heroes defending them: there is still hope."
By the time we got to D.C., it was already dark. But instead of black or blue; the sky was a murky brown. Several ships were seen and the military had tanks and soldiers covering just about everywhere.
As we landed, we walked over to Conner-who had leapt out a few minutes prior-who was talking to a military general.
"I'm not Superman..." Conner muttered, annoyed and upset.
"Tell that to the enemy." The general said, before turning to the team. "General Wade Eiling, US Air Force."
"Aqualad, Justice League." Kaldur stepped forward. "We'll help salvage as many alien canons as possible. Then we start taking back what is ours."
We all walked into the Hall, stepping into the room where the giant bronze statues of the founding members of the league once stood, but now laid in crumbled pieces.
I looked over to the place I had paced anxiously three mere months ago before my mentor calmed me.
"They're really gone..." Robin muttered, voicing what everyone was thinking. I looked over to see everyone was by the fallen statues of their mentors. I was the only one who didn't have one to go to.
I tried desperately to think of something to say, scratching the edges of my brain for some sort of silver lining. I itched to be the optimistic voice of the team...but everytime, images of Artemis and Red being vaporized flooded my mind and more tears filled my eyes.
Suddenly, a hand folded into mine and I looked to see that once again: Kaldur had placed his there. Neither of us spoke, only looking at each other.
A loud rumbling, however, broke us from our trance as we looked to see Megan lifting her Uncle's stone head off the ground to reveal...The real Martian Manhunter?
"Uncle J'onn!" She exclaimed in joy, and went over to him but Kaldur leapt forward, blocking her path.
"Check his mind!" Kaldur instructed. "Make sure he is who he appears to be."
"It's him!" Megan said, her voice being the happiest thing I've heard all day. "He's alive!"
Not even hesitating, Megan flew over and embraced her uncle.
"But...How?" I asked.
"We saw you get disintegrated. You and Superman and...Everyone." Conner agreed.
"Yes...I remember." The Manhunter said as he rubbed his head and, with the help of his niece, stood up. "But I do not remember how I survived, or how I arrived here."
"Maybe you were density-shifting and the beam passed right through you!" Megan said.
"Scrambling your brains along the way!" Robin exclaimed.
"But...Wouldn't we have been able to see that on the feed..?" I muttered, not trying to be a downer but trying to think logically.
"My mind is clouded..." J'onn said, apparently ignoring my statement. "I am certain I had something important to tell you."
"Hello Wally!" Wally said, slapping his head before grabbing his best friend and running out. "Come on."
A moment later, Wally spoke from outside. "I knew it! The thing's giving off zeta-beams, the same thing we use to power our Zeta-tubes! This thing doesn't disintegrated! It teleports! Flash is alive! Artemis is alive!"
Something inside me told me that Wally was grasping at straws. Although it was possible that the beams teleported their victims instead of disintegrating them: wouldn't the league have found a way to contact us by now?
Robin seemed to be as hesitant as me.
"No maybes! They're alive!" Wally denied.
Ya, he's definitely grasping at straws.
"That must be what you wanted to tell us!" Megan said excitedly, but J'onn didn't look to certain.
Out of the blue, a 'whoosh' sound was heard and we saw more ships headed towards the hall.
"We're on our way." Kaldur exclaimed.
"Negatory." Robin refused. "We can't win this! Ms. Martian camoflage the bio-shi-"
Robin was cut off as Megan lurched forward, signalling that the bio-ship had been hit.
"M'gaan!" Conner exclaimed.
"That didn't feel right..." Megan muttered.
"We're falling back!" Robin exclaimed as he, Wally, and a few soldiers came running in, and we ran to the library.
"We're trapped!" General Eiling yelled as the doors to the library closed and some soldiers lined up, prepared to fire.
"Maybe not." Kaldur said as he forced down rubble away, revealing a Zeta-tube before looking at the Manhunter. "We can all zeta to the cave if you grant us access to the tubes."
"I can only authorize one at a time." J'onn said, but began nonetheless.
"Send the soldiers first!" Kaldur ordered.
"Belay that!" Eiling yelled. "You seven are assets we cannot afford to lose."
"Guys!" I panic as the ships begin to ram against the walls of the library.
"Override: Martian Manhunter 0-7"
"Recognized: Access Granted." The computer announced.
"Miss Martian B06"
"Robin B01"
"Kid Flash B03"
Just as Wally stepped up, the walls crashed and the aliens entered. Wally turned back, probably wanted to fight but I shoved him into the tube, yelling sorry as he disappeared.
As soldiers left and right began to disappear, Kaldur and I tried our best to fight back. From my peripheral, I saw Conner pick up a fallen soldier.
"He goes first." Conner grunted.
"Fine, then you." Then he turned to me with a hard look. "And then you."
Part of me already knew that wasn't going to be the plan, but I nodded anyways.
"Private Jason Bard A04"
"Superboy B05."
The last ones standing were J'onn, Kaldur and I. Kaldur pushed the Martian into the tubes before looking over at me.
"No way in hell am I leaving you!" I said stubbornly.
"Someone needs to deactivate the zeta-tubes." He said, going to grab me but I jumped back.
"I've already lost my mentor and one." I said, voice cracking as I stared into his eyes. "I can't lose you too."
Without another word, I used my winds push him through the tube. I waited three seconds, making sure he would fully merge on the other side before swinging my foot around and crashing it into the side of the computer: deactivating the Zeta-tube.
I sighed, before turning to the canon that was glowing at me. I smiled.
"You're going down motherfuckers."
And with that, everything went dark.