The Age Of Akaige

By Pakkrat

Chapter 3: The Head of the Serpent (Part 3)

Note: Read the facts of previous times! I don't own the stuff from TV and Comics! I will let you know if I own something at the end of the chapter, I mean what else do you need to know? Kagejin and those kinds of things I do take credit for. This chapter is the first to deal with actual murder and blood so if you actually are against it, run away! This is a long chapter but well worth the read I believe. After this the violence and such will begin to escalate so as I said before if you do have a problem this may not be the story for you.

Creed somehow knew things were just about to get worse. Maybe the fact of going into the hideout with nothing but black darkness was the giveaway, or maybe the sense he was being viewed with a little more dispassion than usual. "Magneto?"

Creed soon hears a crackling energy behind him the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Creed turns to the purple caped master he serves at the moment, and his specially designed metallic helmet allowing the two cold eyes to look out. "Sabertooth where were you hiding?"

"I had some business in the city Magnus. You know that I was headed out."

"I did and now that you have returned I have word from the X-men."

"You mean on the X-men." The stare of Magneto seems to slink a little, "They scared or something?"

"Yes, they certainly are just that." Magneto turns and makes to the outside. "Something has Charles very worried in all honesty the key signs of fear were playing in his message."

"Message? You mean they found out where we are."

"Most likely they knew of our hideout long ago. It does not really matter as of late Sabertooth; we have more important business to attend to first. We will look into Charles's request after we remove a greater threat to mutant kind."

Sabertooth raises a brow to this remark, "What kind of threat is that?"

"There is a new sentinel model hidden in a secret facility. I found some information on this model they call it Nimrod."

Titans Tower after breakfast Beast Boy and Cyborg make to the T.V. with Starfire cleaning the dishes smiling and humming. Robin sits with Raven asking "Are you going to tell them now?"

"I was thinking maybe later."

"The longer you wait the harder it's going to be Rae."

Raven looks at the others all doing their morning routine and she sort of looks over to Robin. He looks at her with a simple resolve before she then bolts off down the hallway. Robin smacks his face and runs after closely while the other three watch a little more confused than usual. Raven tries getting farther down the hall before he caught up, still he catches her far enough from the others that he can scream "Why don't you tell them?"

"I keep thinking about it Robin." Robin blinks confused, "That whole ordeal with my father, Trigon. Now this happens and we just barely escaped that mess. I keep thinking how much longer can I let these things happen?"

"You can't just make things like this not happen… can you?" Raven shakes her head no, "So why not tell the others?"

"They won't be able to take it forever! What about if the time comes and they get upset with me, or sick of me bringing this trouble!"

Robin looks blankly at Raven before smacking the palm of his hand on her forehead "Ow!"

"I thought you were the smart one." Raven looks up rubbing her forehead and he's just smiling, "Look, we have to accept the fact trouble will always be looking for us. If it's not you, it's something else, and eventually something bad was bound to happen. Now let's get back to the others and tell them what's happening."

The one eye watches intently with the two younger females fighting ruthlessly. One was Blink; the other was a girl of the same age and slightly similar build. The other girl has a skin tight black outfit with orange boots. The outfit is much like Slade's with the exception she wore not a metal mask but more a black/orange fabric over the top of her head tied in the back. Under the mask this other girl's lips are glossed and twist cruelly as she tries to wedge her staff under Blink's legs to sweep the opponent. Blink's eyes widen before disappearing and reappearing behind the combatant as they swung up their staff through the air. Blink now kicks the striking enemy making them falter over on their face.

Slade has a staff and he strikes the staff on the ground like an instructor would issue the fight is over. "Very good Blink I thought she had you that time. Ravager, a nice try but you need to remember the power of your enemy in this case." Slade nods to their equally tired bodies now sweating and heaving, "Take a break both of you."

Slade now leaves off to somewhere at the side a desk with a computer. Blink and Ravager sit on the floor instead mainly getting their second breaths. Ravager looks at the other girl a moment before pulling off her mask and letting her long white hair fall free. She has a scar on her left cheek contrasting the otherwise sweet looking face. "So, you're the girl my father went after? My name is Rose if you wanted to know."

Blink is silent and sort of frightened, only holding onto the dog-tags Rose raises a curious brow. Slade looks up from his computer to the two, "Blink is fairly shy my dear. It is in part to her history and not knowing all about her family or memories. Don't worry girl as long as you act to the program in this team you will be safe." Slade's eye goes cold on Blink, "However, betray me and I will kill you."

Slade then has something hit his face and roll off. He looks down to the plushy dog "Gee dad! That's not the best way to make someone trust you!" Rose lies back pushing off of her arms, "His people skills suck. Sorry Blink he's okay to a degree, just he's been very revenge oriented since the day my brother…"

"Rose!" Slade's fist slams into the desk with unbelievable rage, "That is not something we need to talk about!"

Rose looks back to her father a little frightened, "I'm… sorry." She lowers her head and Slade looks a little befuddled. He sighs and walks over to pet her hair, "Me too just rest up before this afternoon. We have to deal with those brats this afternoon. Hopefully with Blink, you, and me we can finally finish off this mess."

Slade walks past Blink stopping, "Also, I'm sorry for saying I would kill you. In truth I promised Creed to not harm you and to understand the respect any wishes to either help us or leave us in the next fight. I may be many things, but I keep my word. That's why I keep fighting as it is… I have a promise to keep… to my son."

Slade makes to a set of stairs but he hears a voice, "Clarice…" Slade turns to the still timid looking Blink. "My name is Clarice. Thank you."

"Clarice that is a nice name." Slade nods and makes up the stairs "Until this afternoon good-bye."

Blink looks at Rose, and Rose sort of shrugs, "He's a freak isn't he?"

"Maybe… or maybe I'm the freak."

"Just because you're a mutant? I always see it that it was the actions of a person, not really the way that the person looked."

Clarice, Blink smiles and stands up, "We should train some more! That way we're at our top game!"

"Sure, but maybe a little breakfast? I'm freaking starved!"

"Early morning transport." The one guard says a little weary. "I hate being with this freak the sooner he's dead the better. Too bad he's a special case and all they give us are batons so we don't accidentally… and I mean 'accidentally' kill him."

The other guard looks on his partner like he was nuts, "Dude! He's right freaking here!"

"And?" the first guard looks at the taller, much more muscular man between them in restraints that chained his arms and legs, and a mask over his face only hid the smile on his face constantly until the one guard said what he did. "What's he going to do?"

"Kill you…" says the man in a deep and menacing voice, "First; I'll take probably to breaking some limbs mainly to make you recognize how stupid you had been in calling me a freak. After that, I will slowly but surely choke the life from you so I can sense, see, feel all your soul pour out of you."

"Shut-up!" The guard swings a baton on the prisoner which only makes the prisoner buckle slightly and under the mask he smiles wider. "You act all big and bad but I know you're just a scared little punk! You'll be on the S.H.I.E.L.D. transport soon and that means out of me, and everyone else's hair!"

The two guards chaperone to the transport until one mumbles, "Oh… I need to go!"

"What? Now?" They look around and the prisoner shrugs, "I wouldn't mind going to the bathroom before we leave!"

"Really oh man come on!" the aggressive guard looks at his partner and the prisoner "Okay! The bathroom is right around the corner! Just hurry the hell up!"

The two guards rush the prisoner to the bathroom and look at each other, "You go on in I'll be out here! Hurry up we don't want to be late."

The prisoner and guard go into the bathroom and as time passed the second guard gets antsy. "Shit…" he snaps open the door screaming "What the fu…" his eyes are wide to the red room… for the record the bathroom is not a red bathroom it's ivory white, but now it is red. Soon a stall opens and walking leisurely to the sink is the prisoner covered in blood, he looks over and smirks before washing his hands and looking at himself in the mirror. He snorts, wipes some blood off the mirror, and then washes his hands again, "I bet now…" the prisoner muses to the still shuddering guard, "You really wish they gave you guns and not clubs."

"Oh god…" he reached for his club but soon as he did that the prisoner lunges up from the sink and grabs his face with his right arm. Pulling the now hyperventilating guard in the air the grip is like a vice crunching his face with pain. The prisoner is smiling with a sort of simple smile, he holds the guard and grabs for the baton, "You know how I was going to kill you? I changed my mind since you love using this thing to club me. I loved that idea! Clubbing someone to death, so simple and easy! I mean, man began that way! The first real murder, truest killing was by clubbing others with their hands and eventually with well… clubs!" The prisoner looks on the weapon with his eyes leering a little, "You know what! I think I always liked that idea especially when I made that suit several years back…" he blinks and returns to the present, "Hold on… I was about to do something! Shit, I forget! What the hell was I…?" The guard is looking worriedly till those cruel, vicious eyes look into his own, "Oh yeah!"

The prisoner grabs the man's throat and with the club he smacks with hellish force on the knees causing them to snap and break. The man is screaming in pan now, and soon he feels the pain in his mouth as his throat is being clogged by the club forced down his jaw and into his throat. The prisoner waits a little, holding him there while the guard is now jumping and tossing around like mad. Then the body is less volatile, more spastic in the last twitches. The prisoner drops the guard with a low moan of pleased internal ecstasy and soon he hears this voice, "It's time to be reborn in the fires of hell."

The prisonerlooks to his shoulder, seeing a set of imaginary shadow like claws on his shoulder he smiles and says "Oh yeah I almost forgot."

The main office has one man in a gray long coat with a patch over his one eye. He has brown hair, and a white streak matching the elderly and somewhat tense visage. He has this cigar in his mouth that he smokes as he reads over the paper work. "Mr. Fury." The one eyed man looks over to some general, "I really don't like when men smoke in my office."

"Well I don't like being called Mr." Nick Fury puffs his cigar and puffs it on he general, "So, we're even. So what is it about this guy? Here it says he's deemed dangerous but government officials order him to be imprisoned and held. You'd figure he's up for execution by now."

"Under normal circumstances yes." The general with his white hairs and crew cut looks on the desk cupping his chin. His eyes seem very tired and frightened. "You know about the Mutant Menace?" To that Nick shakes his head not saying he didn't know about the phrase he just knew there was no real menace if people kept their senses. Sad thing is a person can be intelligent about things it is only when people get together they turn into a damn mob. "Well this man was very close to making a weapon to use against them. He was on the verge of a new-age super soldier formula."

Nick glares his eye heatedly, "You mean like Captain America?"

"No this is much more genuine. He called it Infinite. The program would have allowed mass production of warriors who could fight with as much vigor and power as the late Captain America with quicker results."

"So he was working for us?"

"At first. He was in part to a special experiment on some soldiers one being a Mr…" The general looks at his papers, "Wilson but that serum caused mental psychosis."

"Great so the mind is screwed instead of the body."

"Not in Infinite. He has a special new brew which he was going to use but something happened and he was attacked in his lab. There was a fire from an experiment and he nearly was burned alive. Weirdest part is he actually seemed to want to be burned alive."

"It says here he was experimenting on himself with some of his special brews." Nick rolls up some of the papers and looks at others, "A matter of fact his mental state is nearly erratic and delusional. Some say he's been talking to people who aren't even there, even shadows in his room. What kind of help do you really expect from this nut job?"

"Trust me Fury if his experiments and serums fell into the wrong hands they would prove more hazardous than ever."

Nick looks up on the general taking a drag off his cigar. "General, I think his hands are the wrong ones."

The room is suddenly brightly turning red. A siren goes off and Nick is glaring all around, "What the hell is going on?"

"The prisoner he had to of escaped!"

"Great! This is exactly what we needed! You get some men together." Nick Fury grabs a gun and pulls it up to his side, "I'll go see what I can do about this psychopath. Let's hope it won't be one of those Friday the thirteenth situations."

Raven sits down with the others and explains to the best of her knowledge what is going on. The first thing is silence. Starfire rubs her hands in her lap while Cyborg kind of looks blankly at her. Beast Boy scratches his head more confused than anything else. Robin, he stood in the back arms crossed and giving simple looks of support when Raven felt most worried. The silence finally got to Raven who normally never minds silence rather she begs for it. "Well? Any questions?"

"Yeah, so he's like… a demon? Is he your cousin or something?" Beast Boy has a pillow hit his face from Raven's powers, "Hey! It was a serious question!"

"No he's not my cousin or related to me! Why would you even think that?"

"Well the last one was your dad so I was wondering is this going to be like a family business? Your dad, cousin, uncle and stuff like that."

Raven shakes her head no with a little annoyance, "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard."

Cyborg is smiling as he starts to ruffle up Beast Boy's hair, "Hey take to credit who the heck it is!"

Starfire starts giggling and hugging the two with her super-Tameranian-hug. "Oh friends you always find the most impressive means to elevate the joyous moments!"

The three get into some chatter and banter leaving Raven kind of confused. Robin is next to her with his own smile "You forget Raven friends do what they can to help their friends. As long as we can we will help you. So what do we do now?"

Cyborg looks up and asks "What about the Justice League? If Raven had a dream with them in it maybe they were really there! Which member was it again?"

"J'onn, the Martian Man Hunter."

Starfire floats over nodding, "I have never met this J'onn yet I have always been interested in meeting him. Perhaps this would be the perfect chance to do just that?"

"Whoa! Think about it we could actually meet the Justice League! That would be so wild!"

"I know, I wonder if I'll get a chance to see the Watch Tower!"

Robin raises up his hands, "Hold up everyone! We may find this exciting but we still don't know if they will even see us."

To that everyone looks on Robin. He raises a brow until Raven asks "What about Batman?" Robin seems to freeze, "He is a senior, and founding member perhaps he can ask for us?"

"Oh yes! That will be most plausible to helping us meet the League of Justice!"

Robin looks around a little pale, "I… I guess I could call Batman. You all wait here while I do that."

Robin walks off to his room while not noticing Raven sort of followed behind him. "Something wrong Robin?"

Robin looks over his shoulder then to the path ahead, "Yeah well…" he coughs a little uneasy, "I don't like to ask Batman for favors. I originally tried making this team to prove I could be more. So even if he helps I feel like I owe him again."

"Think of it as a favor for me Robin. You can do that right?"

Robin looks back as he opens his door. "Sure thing Raven I can do that I guess."

J'onn exits a portal and is still a little taken back from before. How could it really be true? Superman? He decided to leave the Justice League and learn more on humans. He returns only every now and again to keep in touch with those whom he calls his friends. J'onn is now being grabbed by the shoulder Lantern asks "Where were you? I was nearly about ready to send out a search party!"

"I was contacted by Fate. He warns that all my previous worries are founded. He also gave me a book on these creatures, Kagejin."

"He did?" Lantern looks over to the book asking "Is that it?"

"Yes it is. Have you seen Superman?"

"Not since this morning before you disappeared. I think he went to the Earth to get some things straightened out and find more on these things. What all did Fate tell you?"

J'onn looks at Lantern and thinks about what he was told. He knew deep down he should tell him yet something told him no. 'What Fate said is Superman is not savable. However, others around him could be if only the right choices are made. If ones are brought into this matter that should not have been terrible things may happen.' J'onn shakes his head "Nothing else that seems important enough to mention."

Lantern raises a brow, "You sure?" The next thing they know a red blur rolls around them and with pointed golden lightning bolts like antennae and a bolt on their chest The Flash is smiling and saluting the two in play, "Hey guys! I have word from Batman! He sent up a message asking us to head on down to Jump City."

Lantern blinks on Flash confused as J'onn remembers his dream. "Why would he want us to go there?"

"You remember the Teen Titans? They sent some word to him that they needed to talk to us." Flash shrugs and readies to run back to the transmitter, "I'll tell him whatever you want me to."

"Tell him we are on our way." J'onn looks to Lantern, "Will you be coming with me?"

"Sure but why are we going to meet those kids?"

"They may also have information on the Kagejin. My dream had Raven in it and she is a Teen Titan."

Lantern looks up and nods "I forgot about that. Okay, let's get ourselves to the plane and see what we can do maybe we can get the others to meet us there."

J'onn nods, "Perhaps." He then watches as Flash disappears, "Or perhaps not."

Magneto lands his eyes wide in the helmet. Sabertooth is just as stunned as they landed. The entrance to the facility is torn wide open and two military officers are lying at the sides with large burn marks in their chests. Magneto levitates past the bodies. The two enter the facility finding offices blown apart and bodies strewn everywhere. Some were scientists, others were officers. The papers and machines seem to be burnt and torn as if a large force of militants broke in and attacked the building. Magneto knows automatically that was not the case. "It looks like Nimrod has turned himself around. He's attacking everything rather than just mutants."

"Yeah instead of a racist killer robot, we have an equal-rights killer robot. I sadly don't find myself too comforted in those thoughts."

Magneto starts to work on several computers still actually working. He looks at the screens glaring more heatedly with what he finds. "The Nimrod has a tracking device. This shows the direction it seems to be headed."

Sabertooth walks over and looks at the screen. "Hey, that seems to be in the direction of… Jump City!"

"Yes and strangely enough Charles asked for our assistance in that city. I believe now it is time to move on to that location after all."

The two are headed topside as Sabertooth rubs the bare spot on his chest where his tags once were. 'Clarice, you better be safe damn it.'

In the sky a long black jet is flying through the cloud cover. At the driver's seat is a suited Wolverine. He looks through the cloud cover and snorts, "This is pretty thick we should get through without much trouble."

Storm is in her black outfit with a cape. Her white hair flows so perfect on her back behind the cape Wolverine gets a little distracted till the plane makes a slight jump. "Oh, whoa!" Wolverine makes the plane even out some then he looks at the screens, "Sorry about that kids just a little turbulence!"

"Turbulence at this altitude Wolverine?" Scott was also Cyclops with a red visor over his eyes and black outfit he shrugs to the equally confused Jean Grey who sat next to him with a head brace of sorts along with her outfit.

"Yeah Cyclops its turbulence! Now just sit tight and try not to shoot a hole in the roof!"

Some chuckling behind Cyclops makes him look over his seat "What's so funny Nightcrawler?"

The blue pointy eared teen in a red V outfit with black shrugs, "Oh, you know same old same old."

Next to him is Rogue with her tight outfit with the shoulder armor of the X-symbol, along with the green top with black stomach, arms, and legs with boots. "Nice come back Kurt."

"I wasn't trying to make a comeback Rogue! I was just… something."

Kitty pokes her head through the seat, I mean through it, and looks at Nightcrawler smiling "Aw, you hurt his little feelings!"

Rogue pulls back from the girl snapping "What are you thinking Shadow Cat? This isn't what I call elbow room!"

"Oh, sorry Rogue!" Shadow Cat pulls her head back and then hops her arms and head on the headrest over them, "This better?"

"Yeah it seems to fit for now. Just try to remember I don't want to fall through the floor while we're flying."

The teens are all laughing except Rogue who just gives a weak smile. The truth is she has always had to be cautious of her powers. Never able to touch, feel, or even kiss less she steals their life-force and powers. Rogue has always hated this 'gift' of hers but she deals with it while she can as she must. It has perks to it, but so many more drawbacks.

Logan looks back and sees her smile, "Hey, we should be getting to the city limits cool off all of you!" He snorts to her look at him like a thank you. "Too much noise from those kids."

"Their kids still Wolverine. They deserve to enjoy themselves."

"Yeah well…" Wolverine hears a beep so he pushes a button "What is it?"

On the other end a large blue haired man seems to smile upside down. "Logan! I have just finished looking over the complete logs of our computers, and several files from secret… well let's just say I've been looking for that thing you mentioned."

"Let me guess nothing on these Kagejin right McCoy?"

McCoy, or Beast as he was also called shakes his head no "Not a one still I have other resources so let's hope they prove more fruitful than what previously I tried."

"Any word on Magnus? I remember our old friend was going to call on us with some info if he found it." Wolverine growls a little, "I hate thinking I'm working with that guy after everything."

"Logan he is trying to help us."

"He's helping himself Storm. We're just sort of in the way of that." Wolverine looks to the radar and glares, "Great there's another aircraft honing in on us."

"Another one?" Nightcrawler looks out his window, "Who do you think it is?"

Wolverine looks on his screens and with a low mumble he manages, "Justice League…"

J'onn looks at the screens as piloting were Lantern and a woman with black hair and with a red outfit on. "Wonder Woman, what is this other plane?"

"Looks like some kind of stealth ship. I think those markings are those mutant vigilantes the X-Men."

A fifth member, Batman nods saying "Let's ask them if their headed to Titans Tower. If so maybe we can… escort them."

"In other words Batsy here thinks they know something or as little anything we do."

The other members look at Flash. "Hey, you can't be sure they do or don't."

Lantern nods agreeing "We can check anyway just in case." He hails the Black-hawk and waits for their response. Soon the wild haired Wolverine asks "What?"

"We were wondering what you were doing here."

"Oh, just a Sunday flight to Seattle. What does it look like? We're headed to Jump City to check on some things."

J'onn nods "I told their Professor of the Kagejin perhaps they have some kind of mission like us."

"J'onn right?" Wolverine smirks a little "You look like the kind of guy to talk to the Professor. Nice to meet you sort of."

"We are heading towards the Titans Tower to have a discussion with them. Perhaps you wish to follow along?"

"Titans Tower? I guess that's as good a place to start looking as any."

Nightcrawler poufs into the view "Really! Oh man I can't wait I heard Beast Boy is a great guy! I even heard he likes jokes, we'll be great together as a comedy act!"

"Oh man…" mumble the teenage mutants minus Nightcrawler.

Wolverine screams "All of you pipe-down! I don't need these damn headaches!" Nightcrawler disappears to his seat with Wolverine shaking his head in his palm "Alright! I'll meet you there but first I think we need to stretch our legs I heard the city has some good food and stuff. We'll park in the park and set the invisibility on to hide the ship. Meet you all later, okay?"

"Sounds good to me." Lantern watches the screen turn off before smiling "Those kids really would get under my skin. Especially that blue one."

Batman has a smile on his face "Wait till we get to the Teen Titans."

In Egypt a man was about to grab something, his eyes glistening in joy as soon he would raise his master, Apocalypse. Then a set of hands grabbed him and tossed him into a wall. His eyes now look up to glowing red ones and soon the beams strike his belly. "No… Apocalypse…"

"The only Apocalypse this world will know is mine. My world, my kingdom, Apokalipse." The figure that attacked has a deep gray skin and blue hooded outfit with his boots. The brows are like a stone with cracks in them and eyes so dark and cruel. "The Apokalipse that I rule, Darkseid, will be where this planet comes to recognize and your master is not even going to see it." Darkseid grins cruelly as the man now dies and soon he grabs from him two strange devices that acted as a key to Apocalypse. "So, these are the things Akaige wants held onto? Sure, why not? I should make my way to Jump City. Perhaps if I'm lucky I can see the Kryptonian… before Akaige kills him that is."

Nick moves the halls with his gun at the ready. Looking around a corner his eye glares at what he sees. Several guards' bodies strewn around and blood on the walls. Even some smudges where the guards must have tried escaping only to be dragged on the ground. 'This guy is a monster.' Nick turns to follow the hall slowly. He makes the way down to the generators or whatever they used for the power here. He knew because that's where the carnage follows and sure as hell the signs on the walls all say the same thing. Outside the generator room a man is breathing haggardly so Nick runs over and goes to check his health. Nick looks on the man's neck and grimaces before rolling them back over. 'God… this guy is sick.'

Nick hears some noises up ahead and so he stammers up to the wall and lays on it flat. The gun prepared for shooting this monster Nick turns into the generator room. He realizes what they used for energy it was a nuclear energy generator and regulator. Why the hell do they have this here? The armor plating of this entire room are microwave shields. "Prisoner 75630259! This is the last chance come with me or else!"

The prisoner looks back with a sick smile, "Nick Fury! The leader of S.H.I.E.L.D. has come all this way to kill me? Wow, I do feel honored… kind of." The prisoner looks back to the fires in the generator, "However, Nick, you are too late! It is time, time for my being to be one with the fires of hell!" The prisoner reaches out to open the containment unit when a bullet is fired.

The Prisoner screams as his left arm is struck he grabs the wound and looks on Nick with well, Fury. "That's it nut-job! We're going to the transport in chains or in a body bag! Make your choice!"

"I won't die! Not so soon to my goal, not while he wants me!"

The prisoner reaches on the containment unit again and Nick fires. The bullet makes to the head when a large black claw seems to appear from the Prisoner's shadow and tossing away the bullet. Nick is stunned and begins firing more to stop the prisoner. The claw reaches up to the ceiling and pulls it down on Nick causing him and the bridge support that he stood on to collapse under the plating and rubble. The claw returns to the side of the user and they look on the prisoner. The prisoner smiles and pulls open the containment shield letting fires of microwave energy and radiated power pour into the entire room. The shadow dissipates as the flames burn all over the room. The prisoner is screaming as his flesh is burned away and soon only his red hot skeleton seems to be left in the golden red flames.

The general looks into the room wide eyed and then he has two guards with him. One looks on a radiation-gauge shaking his head "My god! He's being engulfed in radiation! The whole room is like Hiroshima!" The guard then blinks "Hey, the radiation is dying down… did the filters kick in that quick?"

The general pushes the guard out of his way and looks. He then looks to the door and runs in. The general looks on the smoldering body ahead of him at the now empty furnace and then looks to the broken bridge support. "I want a team brought here! We need to have this mess removed and the power turned back on." He looks up as strobe lights were on "These strobes won't do we need the facility fully operational!"

The two guards are just standing there as he seems to get pissed. "What the hell are your problems?"

"Not what… general…" the voice sounds so much the same, but now so much crueler, darker, and evil yes more evil. The general looks back to see that burning mound was still burning and was… standing. The red skeleton of the prisoner contorts its brows and jaw line as the fires made it a living expression. "Who, who the hell is their problem!"

With a maddening laugh the fiery monster leaps over the general to the two guards and claps them in his hands. The guards scream as they are covered in fire and then those fires are absorbed into the mainstream of the monster leaving nothing of he guards. "What do you know? I always called these guards chickens. I never knew they actually tasted like chicken!" The prisoner laughs to himself deeply before turning over his large, flaming shoulders to the general. "What about you general?"

The general makes a step back. The prisoner smiles his teeth where his canines seem to curl his lips. Making a step towards the general the general reaches for his gun and steps back too. Firing a shot the bullet passes through the flames and falls outside of them smoking and melting. "You have to be kidding! I'm living, breathing energy! You can't kill energy with a gun dumb ass!"

The general looks on in such fear. The prisoner grins his grin but then he screams "BOO!" and the general falls on his heels and off the bridge support where it collapsed. He smashes on the ground and is impaled by metal pipes and pieces. The prisoner puts his finger in his dimples, musing, "Oops, did I do tat? Ah-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!"

The roof seems to buckle in and levitating down was the Nimrod robot. It has something strapped on its back and the prisoner seems to be smiling more. "Oh! A laundry service that delivers!" Nimrod's golden eyes seem to raise a little as in confusion, "Incorrect data." Nimrod undoes the buckles on its chest letting the strange clear see-through armor stand on its own. The prisoner walks over and looks on the armor smiling "It is my suit from when I was first going to finish this experiment. Now all I need is the helmet."

Nimrod opens a compartment in its stomach to remove an oval shaped dome that was to fit over a hole on the front center of the large suit. The prisoner screams in joy as his body bursts into the hole and irradiates the outfit with his new flesh. Without the suit the monster would loose its mass and form. The suit is made to contain and keep out energy. Made from a special crystalline mass the outfit moves like a body of flesh with the booted feet and armored chest of crystal. The shoulders were broader than his human form but the energy makes them live like his whole body now. The left arm is a giant club like form where his fist was supposed to be. The back-arm has three sharp edges, and the bulged club has small red openings for energy to be released as streams. The monster looks at his right arm which was a hand opening and clasping with the controlled crystal armor. The dome is placed over the red skull with his golden eyes glinting in favor of the change. In the suit only his ribs and skull seem apparent from the limbs of the suit having energy rolling on the limbs to control them.

Nimrod stomps forward and asks "The next part of the operation?"

"What? Oh, we must go to Jump City. From there we'll work with the portal to bring him here."

"Correct. Prepare to be transported."

The monster and Nimrod get closer together and Nimrod covers them in a field of energy floating through the roof. In the rubble, a hand pushes out followed by a tired and bloody Nick Fury. He glares on the escaping monster and Nimrod grabbing a device at his pocket. He knew S.H.I.E.L.D. would not be able to stop it. The only one who knew close enough to Jump City was one man, or rather one mutant. "Logan…"

New York has one of the most revered teams of super-hero history. The Fantastic Four, but at the moment they were all resting up from a long day of maintenance and training. The Thing was sleeping in his room as was Torch. Mr. Fantastic and his wife Susan both were in the lab trying to cure themselves, or mostly The Thing. They always tried to cure him of his powers since he never was too happy being the Thing. Reed Richards the unbreakable, always stretchable hero of wisdom looks on some tests when he has an unusual person at his window. "Wait, we're on the twentieth floor! Who can that be?"

"Just your friendly neighborhood Spiderman!" Leaping in a spry landing was Spiderman glaring to the beast Venom not entering but more just hiding at the window. "I need to talk to you doc."

"Oh… well…" Spiderman also pulls out a bag of McDonalds, "I'm guessing the same old bribe is in order."

"Reed? What is it you've been doing with Spiderman?"

Reed looks nervously as he stretches his arm and pulls the bag to then toss it into a drawer, "Nothing Susan!"

"You're not weaseling out of your diet are you?"

"No! I would never…"

"We seem to feel that Reed Richards is a coward listening to his woman with such fear." Venom now enters with his fangs glistening, "Perhaps we are able to enjoy a little fun with the Mr. Fantastic!" Venom latches his stringing on the drawer and pulls it open to show several burgers and fry wrappers along with the latest meal.

"Reed!"

"Susan… I just had a couple burgers… here and there…"

Susan Richards shakes her head before looking to Spiderman, "What was it you needed? Also, why did you bring that thing?"

"We are not a thing woman! We are Venom!"

"Sue, Venom is on our side sort of. The reason I am here is because something big is up and I wanted to know if maybe the tower was able to…" he whispers something that makes the three others look stunned.

"We did not know you were planning this!"

"I know but if things are going to be as bad as they say this is the only place we can use as that."

"I… I guess we could but what is it you are up to?"

"Exactly, my wife and I can facilitate those needs but when and why are more important."

"I don't know when and why will be obvious if things go bad. Do me a favor watch the news if anything, I mean anything weird happens call me?" Spiderman tosses a spider looking device "I'll call back and see what I find out. Thanks, you guys are fantastic." Spiderman steps on the windowsill and chuckles, "Literally."

Webbing through the air Venom and Spiderman look on ahead. "We did not believe you were serious about this attack Spider. If so, maybe we will find a fight worth some time."

"If what those two beings said is really happening to New York, and maybe the world, I'll give you ten to one odds we all have a hell of a fight ahead."

Reed Richards sits at his desk looking on the window. "What a strange request. I best keep my eye on the… news…" he looks at the pile of trash "Where's my food? It couldn't have just…" with a glare Reed looks at his wife who is working and humming "Susan?"

"You're on a diet!"

"Oh come on! You're wasting food if you can't eat it!"

"I'll give it to Ben he's not on a diet."

"Oh what is it going to hurt?"

"Diet Reed! Do you know what that means?"

Reed mumbles to himself "Do you know what 'Pera' means?" and to that he hears something slam on the table. Looking wearily he notices a very, very angry Susan Richards. "Uh oh…"

(Pera is spanish for Bitch, if you are wondering.)

Titans Tower has a fast talking green boy with a smooth talking red pajama wearing hero. The two are making small talk after an initial meeting. At first Robin was reluctant with his mentor there but he did soften up. Cyborg was trying to get a talk with Green Lantern about some of the Watchtower build and tech. Starfire and Wonder Woman talked about some of the differences of Tameran and Femascera. Raven finally was able to get J'onn to tell her about the book though he wanted to tell everyone. "It is a book on the Kagejin and their other matters of conquest. I was figuring it may help us understand them. I read most of it on the way here but I find most the information is just about their ways of… destroying."

"Can I read it?" Raven notices J'onn kind of look concerned. "The stories do not always turn out so good for the people affected especially for alternate worlds with you in them."

Raven looks at the book and nods, "I understand please I want to know what we are really up against."

"Very well I marked some pages with small pieces of paper…" J'onn looks at the titans and members busy talking and listening "Perhaps it is better you read and not your friends. From you they may understand more what is happening."

Raven nods and takes the book with her from the group to her room. Sitting on her bed Raven opens the book and begins to read the pages with marked paper in their sections. Raven reads the stories to herself. There were a lot of them and so as she read she only learned what she knew. Akaige likes to try and break people, to manipulate them into either destroying themselves or the ones they love. He was evil, cruel, and even worse he seems obsessed with Raven in every reality he goes to. He makes deals with Trigon to help destroy her and it seems this might be one of those cases. As Raven reads these stories she hears movement out in the halls so she moves to her door and listens to Robin in the gym. She floats outside to the gym and watches as he's with Batman.

Batman asks "Why didn't you tell me about this Trigon business?"

"Well, I figured it didn't concern you."

"It concerned the earth Robin! I'm part of the earth, and the Justice League should have known about it too. Think about it Robin."

Robin looks on his old teacher in a glare "Look, this was my team's fight not their or yours! You always said the Justice League was a mistake anyway!"

Batman nods but then he says coldly "Just because I say these things does not mean you should go ahead and ignore your duty to those around you. That was a bad choice."

"I'm a man now Batman! It's my choice and mine alone, you can't tell me what to do!"
Batman turns away from Robin with a snarl "You're right you are a man now." Batman swings back around with his fist. Robin falters under a punch and lands looking in shock flat on his back with a bloody nose and trail from his lip. Raven screams his name rushing over to him. Raven kneels down grabbing Robin's back helping him up a little as he holds the spot. "As a man Robin you need to learn you're not the only one your choices affect! Lives were on the line! You saved the world but if you didn't what about everyone else? This is not the time to debate who is a man and who is not!" Batman walks to the entranceway before Robin screams "So you're a better man? You protect Gotham City and the world! Great job, you're the better man here!"

Batman looks back in a snarl "Damn it Robin! It's not a contest! I do what I can and I do what I can! Some day you'll understand what it is we really are doing until then…" Batman flips his cape and leaves.

Robin glares his eyes heatedly when he feels a hand on his face. Raven starts chanting and her hand glows healing the injury. Robin looks away a little ashamed, "Sorry… thanks… whatever."

"He's right Robin."

"You're taking his side?"

"No, I'm saying he's right we shouldn't be competing and seeing who is better at what. We're the good guys we have to stop and do the good thing." She smiles a little, "He was wrong too, I saved the world you guys sort of watched."

Robin looks at her smirking "Ouch now that really hurt." They chuckle a little before he grabs her hand at his cheek. Silence then covers the room with Raven's cheeks turning red. Something in the back kind of moves and Robin stands up letting go of her hand. "What was that?"

Raven grabs her hood and pulls it down tightly. Robin blinks and Raven lets her hood up again with her cold emotionless look as usual "Come on Robin we have to go and see the others."

Then the alarm goes off. The two look to the blinking lights and head to the main room. J'onn pops his head over Cyborg's shoulder "What is happening?"

"Disturbance in the city. Seems like it's… Slade." Robin jumps internally and his left fist curls. Raven also glares as her recent endeavor did not leave her too pleased with the one eyed villain. "Should we come along?"

"You can come but don't get involved Slade is ours!"

Lantern glares "Why not? We are pretty good at our job."

Raven shakes her head no "Slade has caused all of us too much pain and suffering if we need your help we'll ask but don't get involved otherwise." She floats off with the other titans as Lantern shrugs "She's a real pain, at least she didn't say we couldn't help if things got too ugly."

"I know." Batman smirks "Out of them all I kind of like her."

"But Robin is your son." Wonder Woman is glared on as Batman leaves "I know, buthe doesn't."

Wolverine sits with the other X-men at a small pizza place. He hated it, but the teens loved it. "You notice this city? Everyone is smiling and all chipper! Makes me so sick to my stomach."

"I know, ain't it just horrible?" He blinks to Rogue who has her head on her hand slumping "They all act like their safe and sound like in Metropolis. At least in Gotham people are more down to earth."

"Where's Storm?" Rogue points to the line as she was getting a burger or two "Oh. Well I hate to admit it kid but you and me we're the only ones who get the hard life of life." Rogue sighs and nods "Ain't it the truth."

Rogue watches as Scott and Jean start sharing fries. "I wish I could touch people."

"He…" Wolverine's mindless chuckle got him a death glare "I wish I could grow old with someone kid. It just seems life likes to toss a pile of shit on the grill every now and again."

Nightcrawler chuckles as he tosses some fries towards Kitty but she lets them phase through her. They instead hit Scott who glares over two the two threatening to use his eye-beam. The teens are all laughing and enjoying themselves as Rogue twiddles her finger on the straw of her soda. "What a drag I just want to go home."

"Why don't you enjoy yourselves for a little bit? I mean you and the others have fun all the time together."

"Normally…" Rogue sighs a little "Logan I had a dream that I drained someone till they died. Afterwards, when I woke up I almost could have sword I had someone looking over me in my sleep. They had this funky head like all round and big… I don't know…"

"A dream is a dream until it is made a reality." Storm sits down smiling "Meaning, go and do something before you can't do anything at all!"

"Ah… whatever." Rogue stands up and walks to the others joining in while Storm sighs "That wasn't so hard now was it?"

"You have the motherly touch angle, I have the skin them alive angle. One has to be good for the other right?"

Then an explosion the X-Men raised brows and make moves towards the raising smoke.

In the center of the street stood a man with one eye and two halves of a mask. He waits, and waits for the Teen Titans to arrive. Soon the R-Cycle speeds to a halt and Robin steps off "Slade…"

"Always through gritted teeth and malice enforced moans Robin? That is the only way you ever speak to me or call my name." Slade turns seeing the Teen Titans and the Justice League "I'm honored the Justice League would actually consider me such a threat they would come to intervene."

"They're not here for you Slade! They're here for these Kagejin creeps coming to destroy the whole wo- er, I mean…" Beast Boy droops his ears as the others all look on him "Sorry."

Slade nods saying "Interesting but that won't save you from my revenge Robin."

"Revenge? I'm the one that deserves revenge!"

"For what?"

"All the times you tried to destroy this city!"

"Yes! This filthy little city! The same city that took from me something most dear, that claims heroes like you deserve unquestioned worship and praise, that condemned my son's life to the hatred and hell it gives!"

A moment of unusual silence and Robin asks "What?"

"Blink, Ravager! Time to end what we began!"

From a portal two girls appear, one was Blink twirling her energy needles and with her was Ravager with a staff weapon that her father also has. Robin grabs his staff and Raven with Starfire charge their energy, Beast Boy snarls his teeth as Cyborg opens up his cannons. The two teams glare onto each other. Robin screams "Titans GO!" and they do, Slade snaps forth "Apprentices STRIKE!"

Raven and Cyborg start fighting Blink after she teleports her and them out and on a building. Starfire and Beast Boy look to be struck and attacked by Ravager. Robin glares at Slade, "You planned it this way!"

"Did you ever doubt I would?"

Raven watches as Cyborg charges his cannon and fires. Blink disappears and reappears on Cyborg's back trying to rip open his back. Cyborg grabs Blink and tosses her off his shoulders screaming "It isn't that easy!"

Blink glares at Cyborg then disappears. Cyborg feels two feet strike his back and Blink is on him again now slamming him on the ground. While down Blink creates her needles and pries open the back. Blink plunges the needles short-circuited Cyborg, "Aw man… I hate when they do that."

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Blink looks up to be hit by a ventilation chute. Blink slams back and looks up to Raven as she levitates over channeling more debris. "So what did Slade promise you? Money, power, the world? Come on what was it you sold your soul for?"

"First of all!" Blink disappears and reappears grabbing Raven by the neck and strangling her from behind. "I didn't sell my soul for anything! Second, I'm not working for him I work for Creed! He said working under Slade will make me stronger!"

Raven glares and channels an antenna into her hand. "Well he's wrong! It will only make you weaker!"

Raven swings the antennae into Blink's face making Blink loose grip. Raven blasts her beams flinging Blink off the roof. Raven begins a run to Cyborg when a portal opens and two glowing needles nearly stab her skull. Raven was able to raise her shields to block but Blink kicks under the hand shields into Raven's gut, then a roundhouse kick makes Raven fall on her side. Blink screams in a strong kick down but Raven has phased through the roof. Blink removes her foot raising a brow when Raven phases behind her and screams her chant. Blink turns but sees her whole body being covered in black energy. Raven asks "Do you understand what you're doing is illegal?"

"I don't care! I'll do anything for Mr. Creed! I owe him my life!"

Raven looks in Blink's eyes and shakes her head "So he really wants you to be evil?"

Blink thinks for a moment and sighs, "No, he never wanted that he just wants me to be stronger." Blink screams as she teleports breaking from the hold and lands in front of Raven grabbing her hood and pulling them close. "So I'll do what I want and beat you! Showing Creed how much stronger I am!"

Ravager leaps from the bull she was riding and blocking bolts off of. The bolts explode on the bull and it soon stammers behind a telephone booth and to view again it collapses as Beast Boy. Starfire lands her eyes glowing when a staff goes over her head and around her neck choking. Star tries to break free but the staff keeps choking her bad. Starfire manages to put all her weight to her feet and kicks back up to bounce her head into the face of Ravager. Ravager falls back grabbing her face before strong punches toss her side to side. Starfire throws more strong jabs and hooks to the faltering attacker before Ravager pulls a device and tosses it to restrain Starfire in bonds of her hands, eyes, and legs.

"Release me this instance! This is improper!"

"Improper? Who cares if it's improper after what you did to my father!"

"I have never met your father!"

"That's funny." Ravager strikes her staff into her palm "Because he just sent me to kick your orange butt, and kill your boyfriend Robin."

Starfire looks on her attacker though her eyes are bound "Slade is your Knorfka? What is it we did to him he did not do to us?"

"You really don't know? My dad said you probably wouldn't even know it. You kids have always been such arrogant brats." Ravager strikes Starfire with the staff. "You know what! My dad is going to so enjoy ripping Robin to pieces like the weak brat he really is!" Starfire is snarling on her attacker's words before she feels a foot in her cheek pushing her to the dirt. "I bet he's just as weak as that Terra girl. Tell me, what was sadder the fact she betrayed you for my father, or the fact she couldn't even beat my father?"

To those words a loud roar is heard and Ravager screams. Starfire then has the bonds ripped off her and she sees Beast Boy pulling her on her feet. "No one…" Beast Boy's eyes are angry just like Starfire now, "I mean no one talks about Terra like that!"

"Aw…" Ravager stands up and smirks on the two, "Did I hit a nerve? I wonder does Terra have any nerves left after being turned to stone."

The two scream in an attack to the statement continuing the fight.

Slade strikes his staff with Robin. The two show all their hate and malice to the other in their eyes. Batman looks to the other league members and strikes his eyes "Let them go this is something they have to deal with themselves."

"What do you mean?"

"Trust me," Batman watches their standoff, "This is their fight and their fight alone."

Slade and Robin make strike after strike with their hate and rage the fuel. Sweeps, plows, plunges, and overhead were their varying from parries, blocks, and swings. Slade charges and with a vault he goes over Robin and lands making a backwards kick plowing Robin into a building's entrance of glass. Slade makes a small march, "You took many things from me boy! My Life has been very hard, cruel, but what you took was more than what I could take any longer. Years I fought off the psychosis, I kept myself on a path of vigilance and training to have you Robin, you took my last real anchor from me!"

Slade steps into the dark room and sees Robin was already in hiding, listening to his words. Slade steps deeper into the shadowy room and glares around. "You see, I had a wife once. However, being a mercenary and assassin one looses touch of family… until someone kidnaps them. The end result, I saved my loved ones but at the cost of my wife, children, and oh yes…" Slade grabs the spot on his mask covered over the eye, "This eye."

Robin makes a creep to some shelves it was a convenience store. He steps on a doll and it squeaks, with horror Robin hears running and the staff plows through the shelves and tries desperately to catch Robin who bobs and weaves through the plunging ends. "After that I became full time mercenary. I had no one to live for! I even took Death in my name, Deathstroke the Executioner! I had no problems in killing anyone deserving to die! Then a contract on you kids!" Slade kicks the shelf but Robin rolls and then runs hiding again. "I denied that one contract, one damn contract and what happens? Some how one of my sons, Grant, finds out that the man Deathstroke who he was told KILLED his father denied a contract! Wanting to prove he was able to kill me, the man who killed his father…" Slade grips his hands into fists after dropping his staff "He took the contract and tried to kill you. The deal went sour you even killed him in a fire! My son was gone and the law never looked into it! Why, because you were heroes, above the law and sinless saviors!" Slade grips his staff and prepares to attack "You took the only person that really cared about me, the man, not this outfit but me! Who the hell do you people think you are?"

Robin soon appears from behind some shelves. He looks on Slade without a second of rage or anger. His staff is already been put away, and Robin just stands there. Slade asks "What are you doing?"

"I'm not fighting you." Robin walks forward and Slade glares on heatedly "Fight damn you!"

A moment of silence and the two look at each other and soon Slade retracts his staff and snarls as he walks over to Robin "I will get revenge Robin some day, some how." Slade pokes Robin in the chest, "It will be quick, fierce, and no one will see it coming!"

Slade is then flung into a wall by a powerful swing of a club like arm. Robin is trying to get his staff but the same arm strikes him as well. The two look at their attacker in a golden glowing crystal armor his red skull and ribs showing through it. "Was it going to be something like that?" The attacker chuckles to himself as Nimrod floats behind him. "Dip-wad, go take care of those kids outside while I get this place ready!"

"Incorrect title." The prisoner glares on the machine, "Nimrod do it!"

"Acceptable title." Nimrod levitates to the entranceway to begin battle with the others outside while the prisoner rolls his eyes "Damn bucket of bolts!" Slade stands up with Robin asking "What the hell is that?"

"Not what children who in the hell. I am the thing that the darkest sections of your mind's cruelty could never fathom. The monster that your brutal inner beast keeps hidden from in the storm. I am the greatest evil of all time, the greatest killer of this new age! The Age of Akaige! I am…"

There's a bunch of explosions. As the dust clears the attacker looks aggressively on Slade and Robin with their devices, "You didn't let me finish…" his fangs glisten with the cruel smile and glare as he crossed the club arm over his broad chest "You're going to wish you did."