Disclaimers :: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.
A/N :: Still un-beta. Sorry for very late update. Work has been kicking my ass, then Hurricane happened. I lost the data after the power went out and had to rewrite almost the whole chapter, plus I was finishing some books I planned to read. So that took away a lot of my time.
Also Warning for some graphic violence and strong language. You want some actions? Here I present you actions! :D Enjoy!
Chapter 10 :: Collided
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the stars refuse to shine
Out of the back you fall in time
I somehow find
You and I collide
- Howie Day, Collide.
It was raining that night in Gotham. Lighting struck across the dark sky on the horizon before the droplets stared pouring.
Lysandra almost turned around and go back to her loft because of it. But curiosity and excitement fueled her to keep on with her night exploring.
She'd never seen real rain before. True that Themyscira was on mystical climate controlled. So she had seen rain. But this real rain in Gotham was so much different. It wasn't warm and left the fresh scent of cleanness on green grass that would linger in the air afterward. Instead, it was cold harsh stream, came down assaulting any surface below the grim sky.
She picked up strong scent of blood when she came across the big park in the middle of the city. Even through the rain, she could smell it. She shivered at the thought of the source. Lysandra should never follow it, something inside her compelled her so.
The droplets fell and bathed her skin as she stalked through the woods of Robinson Park. It reminded her of the forest on Paradise Island but without wildlife. The smell got thicker as she walked through the tree. Then she heard a scream.
A real agony scream.
She stalked faster, hand gripped hard on dagger hilt. The scream went on for a while then stopped. There was nothing but the sound of raindrops hit the surface. Lysandra held her breathed when she peeked through the shrub where the smell of blood came from the thickest. Even with the flickering light from across the wood was the only source, but crimson liquid steamed away, mixing with the brown mud on the ground as it washed away passed her rain soaked sneakers.
And her heart stopped.
Big body was crouching down over a pile of…what she was sure use to be human, now ripped open in the middle. A pair of Human hands lay in the bloody mud. Blood splattered everywhere on the green grass. Lysandra stood frozen at the horrid sight and gasped.
Snap!
Lysandra unconsciously stepped backward on a twig. That movement made the monster stopped short on his feasting and turned around, yellow eyes glowed through the rain.
A Laistrygonian Giant.
"My…my….look what I found….a child of Aphrodite….I bet your flesh is sweet as you look…" The giant bore his bloody sharp teeth wide to smile, tossed the remaining on the ground as he faced forward to Lysandra.
Terror washed her just like the cold rain. She'd never seen anything so gruesome before in her life. Her eyes stung, she wanted to cry in horror but she wouldn't let herself to. So she wiped her hand up to her mouth instead.
Torn limps, organs, human bones….bile rose from her stomach….
"….Come to me and I won't eat you alive…" The giant said with a smile. Lysandra flinched backward. When her legs seemed to wake, she turned around and ran.
Then the chase began.
Lysandra ran through the woods, picked the path that wasn't walking path to slow down the giant as he ran after her, he would have go through the trees, as she zigzagged by. Lysandra avoid running into open field, she might be fast but in this fight something tell her she wouldn't be able to defeat this almost seven feet tall giant when she only have one dagger and a grappling hook.
Laistrygonian Giants were one of the most vicious cannibals in the myth. They enjoyed killing as much as feeding on their victims, sometimes they made the victims watched how they eat their limps until they die from agonizing pain and bloodlost of being torn into pieces alive. They enjoyed pain. They loved to have their victims screamed and beg for mercy.
If you encountered a Laistrygonian Giant, Turned around and run like hell. Do not fight them alone, you need many hands as you can get to defeat it.Artemis's voice reminded her from their days of monsters study. She used to think it was cowardice to run from a battle.
But now she knew why. Why Artemis had told her to run. Mud splashed across her legs, her sneakers soaked from rain, she didn't stop. She couldn't, if she wanted to get out of the park alive.
"Don't you run from me, demigod!...I will kill you slowly for this!" The giant howled from behind her, he smashed through the trees, almost catching up with her.
Need to get out of the park. Safer outside.Her thoughts bombarded inside her head. If she get to the edge of the park and cross over the street, she could sling away with her gun.
Run faster! Must be faster!
"You won't escape me!" He roared. Lysandra knew he was even closer now. Her legs ached from sprinting but she couldn't stop now, the edge of the three started to part in front of her. Lights from traffic were flickering, beckoning her to reach it. Her hand grabbed the gun, ready to fire for the building across the park. Another pulled out her dagger, gripping it hard.
Lysandra tried to pick up her pace, instead she tripped.
Smashing into mud and wet grass, losing her dagger in the process. She scrambled was fast as she could for it but the giant leapt and tackling her to the ground. His sharp claws dug in her flesh. Lysandra screamed.
"That's right, Halfling...scream all you like!" He laughed and grabbed her waist before threw her body, she flew and slammed into the tree. Her body smashed the trunk and slipped down but her mind told her to get up, ignoring the pain the spread like wide fire in her body. She taste blood in her mouth as the giant gripped her ankle and sling her effortlessly out in the open lawn. Her body skidded through the grass and mud. Away from her dagger, the only weapon she knew could save her life.
So much pain. It exploded in her body. But conscious screamed at her to get up again, if she wanted to live.
"Oh no, you are going to be my dessert, Halfling…." The giant lifted her by ankles, her body swung helplessly in midair. Lysandra choked on her own blood from the cut on her lips and the cold was the rain that still pour down mercilessly. The giant sneered widely showing sharp teeth. Its yellow eyes glowed with menace.
For the first time in her life, Lysandra knew she was going to die.
"Forecast sucks." Dick Grayson in his Nightwing suit muttered as he loomed over the rooftop, Tim was behind him. Both soaked through the harsh rain that had been pouring down.
"I though you watch it for the forecast lady…." Tim said, took a bite on his ham sandwich Alfred prepared for them. He perched under the shade, hiding temporary from the rain. "Especially the redhead one during the evening news…."
So much for a rooftop picnic they'd planned. Tonight was one of those that Batman left them in charge of Gotham as he was reluctantly away for Justice League monthly meeting. And since he forbade them to take Batmobile out, both had to hop on their bikes instead.
"Oh, you know me too well…." Dick grinned. "…At least some low life might feel too lazy to be commit crime in the cold rain like this."
True. Or at the least that what they'd hoped. Tim hid his small smile behind his food. He liked patrolling with Dick, it was almost like they were bonding again. After incident with Barbara, Dick rarely came home anymore. He had his own apartment in Bludhaven. And Bruce was still in the pushing everyone away mode, even Tim was living in the same house with him. He barely talked to Bruce beside during patrol or something they investigating. Tim knew Bruce wasn't a conversationalist but the man supposed to be his goddamn mentor. Tim almost resent that a bit.
With Dick, they always talked. Even Tim wasn't talkative type but Dick always prod him in the right direction and have him spilled his guts. It let him vent out something inside. It helped Tim being sane from living in the same roof with the Batman. A man who bottled everything inside him, Tim wondered when the bomb would go off inside his mind.
"….Sorry to interrupt your date, boys…but I picked up something on the surveillance camera across Robinson Park…." Barbara's voice boomed from their commlink.
"No biggie, What is it, Oracle?" Dick answered back. Tim automatically put his sandwich away
"It might be nothing but…" Her tone hesitated, "….I think I got a glimpse of a homeless guy got snatch into the woods of the park, I couldn't get a clear angle because there was no camera in the park, only few across the street…though I had some 911 calls, reporting disturbing noise from residents nearby…"
"Do you think it was the same perp with the recent murders?" Tim voiced his opinion. "Should we contact Batman?..."
"Nah…Let's just check it out first, it might be nothing….We will check it out, Nightwing out." Dick said and cut the commlink. He turned to Tim who was ready to swing into action. "Ready, Boy Wonder?"
Tim gave his adopted brother a nod with small smirk as a reply. Before the both took off from the ledge. Slung their ways through the pouring rain.
"Child of Aphrodite in this filthy city….I would never have guessed….." The Giant said as he used his sharp nails swiping across Lysandra face, she knew if he pressed hard enough it would have slash into her skin. She struggled under his much bigger body but was pinned on the legs by his knees, both her hands scratched her way on his arm, hoping it would inflict any damage. The giant had her down by the throat with one hand. She lay helplessly, powerlessly under a cannibal. His yellow eyes glowed in the dark, looking down at her fascinatedly. His body temporary sheltered her from rain drops.
"Resistant is futile…" He smiled cruelly above her. Lysandra's eyes stung as she forced herself not to cry, either in pain or in terror. The giant's free hand caressed her skin in the manner than made the bile rose in mouth. Sharp nails from one had on her throat dug mercilessly into her skin, her blood seep out mixing with one already under his finger nails.
"You have such pretty eyes…as expected from Aphrodite's…." He murmured as he grabbed her chin and jerked her face aside, before bend his head down and licked the blood from her neck. Lysandra flinched, and struggled harder. Wanting to scream, Not Aphrodite's! But only her act was only brought humor to the giant above her. He laughed. "Exquisite..….maybe I shall enjoy tasting you in different manner…"
Lightning struck across the dark sky. She wanted to throw up from the skin contact as she continued to scramble away from his body, until her gaze fell on the nearby grass, her dagger lay glittering there in mud.
Despite her skin was crawling from the giant's hand that started to grope her breast through her soaked jacket, Lysandra forced the bile in her mouth not to rise and reached for her abandoned weapon.
"Get off me, you ogre!" Lysandra screamed back as tried to keep the giant's eyes on her face instead of her right hand that was scrambling away for the dagger nearby, Almost!...just a little bit more.
The giant chuckled, his eyes glowed. "….still fighting, demigod?...good, it will make my meal more enjoyable…."
"Dream on, ogre!" She rasped. Her fingertip touched the hilt of the dagger. It slid away, Lysandra cursed mentally. The giant laughed loudly grabbed harder on one of her breast, she yelped in pain. Kicking her legs harder under him.
"…Then I am living the dream now, sweetness…."
"Go to Tartarus!" She spat. Struggled to get a hold of her weapon. The rain stared to die down, if she couldn't get a hold of her dagger soon, the giant might started noticing her wandering hand and decided to ripe it off. Come on!
"Been there, not a very nice place. A little too steamy for my taste…." The giant chuckled again. Before bend down and licked the blood from her cut lips, Lysandra tightened her mouth closed with Disgusted. "…..I can't wait to hear you scream for me, Halfling….I haven't have demigod for centuries….I can smell you better now that the rain stopped…by the gods….it will be a shame to just eat you…."
"Sorry, but you're not my type, I prefer my suitor a vegetarian" Lysandra muttered. Her hand slid across the cold hilt. Finally grabbed the dagger successfully. The steel hilt dug into her palm, it hurt but she never felt more alive, anticipation laced her mind.
Triumph exploded behind her eyes, forced herself not to smirk. She gripped it tighter in her hand. "…..But I will love it when you scream…."
"wha….!"
And Lysandra swung, stabbed the giant hard in his jugular. Her diamond-like blade buried to the hilt on the side of his neck, She pulled it out fast. Brown blood sprayed across her face from the wound as the giant shrieked in pain. And Lysandra swung the second time, Before kicked him hard in the groin and slammed her other wrist, using her Amazonian bracelet as weapon, into his temple.
The Giant slipped off her as he howled in pain. Lysandra lifted both her feet and thrust hard in his abdomen. His body swayed away, created enough space for her to roll away.
"You will pay for that, child of Aphrodite! I will fucking tear you from limp to limp!" The giant screamed as he clutched his wound throat. Brown blood spilled out but Lysandra knew this wound won't be fatal enough for a killing blow, he would regenerated soon enough, two ways to kill him, behead for burn him to dusk. But from her situation, she wouldn't have any fire to incinerate him. So decapitating was the only way available.
Lysandra ignored the pain from earlier blows, and blood that seeped down for the cuts on her body. She stood her ground, planted her feet firmly in muddy grass. Weapon ready to strike, the blade shimmered tauntingly at the giant. She smirked. "…..For your information, My mother is not Aphrodite, you ogre…." She pulled one of her sleeve jacket down, her bracelet gleamed. The giant's glowing eyes went wide.
"…No….No! you are the one they're looking for!" He choked on his words. Lysandra frowned. Remembering the goddesses' warning about monsters would be looking for her. So it's true after all. They were coming for her, maybe that was why this cannibal was on the loose in a city such Gotham.
"Whatever do you mean, Giant. Cause I'm going to cut you head off now…." She gripped her dagger, ready to jump for finishing blow.
But before she could, she heard something fired at her, and suddenly a sling came. Wrapped it around her body from behind and pulled her backward. Lysandra stumbled back, almost fell down but her legs planted firmly and dug into the mud. She cursed as struggling with the wire that restrained her arms to her body.
"Sorry, sugar. But No one will cut off anyone's head tonight" A new voice came from behind. Lysandra turned around furiously at the source but her heart almost stopped when she saw the newcomers.
Two of her father's famous protégés emerged from the shadow of the woods.
Beware of the birdboy.
She almost screamed.
"Damn it! NO!"
They heard the scream pierced through the rain when they reached the edge of the wood. Dick had his Eskrima sticks ready as Tim pulled out his own collapsible Bo staff. Stalking through the trees deeper, they found the gruesome sight of what Tim was sure was Human. The crimson of blood was painted everywhere, on the tree trunks, it mixed in with the mud on the grass created a deeper shade of maroon ground.
They carefully walked, avoiding stepping whatever….whoever this used to be before gotten ripped apart and cut open. Tim grimaced at the horrid sight, and he taught seeing a lifeless body with gaping hole in the chest was bad….This brought a new meaning to the word gruesome in his dictionary.
Both of them switched to night vision lenses when another girly cry shot through the air, looked like the perp wasn't finish with his hunt. Surveying surrounding for a minute, before got a vision of two live bodies in the lawn about thirty feet away. Clearly one was on top of the other, he could see the smaller body was struggling under, probably to get away. Tim signaled Dick.
He switched back to normal lenses, as they rushed through the trees again but before they reached the opened lawn, another scream wailed through the night, a male one this time. When Dick and him finally reached the edge of tree shadow, both bodies were already separated.
A very tall man was clutching his throat, something dark seemed to be gushing out from his neck. Tim guessed it was blood. His eyes glowed yellow. He was screaming. "…No….No! you are the one they're looking for!"
With the back to them, a dark hair girl got up and grounded her fighting stance. Her clothed soaked through, Tim spotted the blood streaming out from several of her cuts on her exposing legs, she was wearing a pair of shorts, hem of her wet jacket reached almost the end of them, making a questionable look as if she actually wearing anything under. A gleaming dagger soaked in her right hand, Her voice was clear, as if she had not been screaming, but he was sure it was one and the same when she spoke.
"Whatever do you mean, Giant. Cause I'm going to cut you head off now…."
Tim reached out fast, his hand automatically shot out the restraining wire, it swung and wrapped around her body, He pulled and it clutched her both arms to her torso in one single swift. He pulled again, purposing to have her stumbled backward, or in any case that what people usually did. But Tim knew she forced the pull by planting her feet to the ground. She heard her curse. Seem like this girl was stronger than he gave her credit for.
"Sorry, sugar. But No one will cut off anyone's head tonight" Dick and him stalked out from the shadow. Their weapon ready in their hands, the girl turned and his voice and went tensed.
Well hell….
Her round eyes went widen, Tim couldn't make it if it was green or blue under little light that was provided from afar. Her dark hair was wet, strands fell from loosen ponytail framing her delicate feature.
She was very pretty, more than pretty. It didn't go well with her decapitating remark earlier, how could a girl like her said such violent thing.….
"Damn it! NO!"
The girl screamed as she struggled to get out of the cable that warped around her body. Tim almost winced for her when he saw the blood streaking down from the gash on her thigh. He held the cable tight that linked her to him in his hand, feeling like holding a leash of a big bad dog. For an injured with a slender body, she sure had a lot of energy left.
Even his testosterone was raging, wanting him to admire the girl in front of him more, but his calm façade wouldn't waver. Tim wouldn't let it. He blinked and tightened his grip on the cable again.
No distraction!
"Chill, sugar. We've got this" he heard Dick said as they both approached her.
"Let go of me, before I made you regret it!" She yelled and pulled her restraining body back. Tim almost leaned forward from the tug. Yep, Strong female. Maybe not meta-human level strong but still….
But before anyone could do anything, the tall man charged at them. He roared with his both arm spread out, ignoring the wound that blood still pouring out, purposely to tackle the three of them to the ground in one movement.
"Holy shit!" Dick cursed and dodged. At the same time Tim shoved the girl away to the side before covered her with his body as they rolled away on the wet grass.
"Get off me, you brute!" She yelled and butthead him hard, he saw stars. Quickly rolled away from him for her weapon that she apparently dropped.
"I was trying to help you!" Tim said clutching his bruised forehead.
"You better worried about your friend than me, that giant's going to tear him to pieces soon…" She hissed as she successfully grabbed her dagger and maneuvered the blade at the cable wire, she did so routinely as if she was trained for this. Cutting it, freeing her body.
Giant?
He heard Dick's yelp and turned around to see the tall man just slashed his sharp nails at his adopt brother, the material of his suit torn opened in the chest and the blood sprayed out.
"Damn Mortals, asking for their deaths….I shall oblige!" He slashed at Dick again but he dodged and slammed his stick on the guy's temple, charging electricity into him. But it didn't seem to help much, he only staggered away a bit instead gone unconscious.
"What the….!?" Dick cursed and flipped away, Tim ignored the girl for now and charge the tall man instead. He dropped down and slammed his Bo staff hard his legs, But the tall man didn't even budge. Instead, he grabbed the other end of his staff, pulled Tim in and slashed his claws across Tim's chest.
Before he could even register from the pain, the tall man lifted him up and threw him. He flew away as if he was as light as a pillow and slammed himself to Dick who was about to charge. They both yelped, and clashed to the ground. The tall man stalked his way to them, yellow eyes glowed with menace. What the hell is this guy? Some kind of metahuman?
"Hey, you ogre!" He heard the girl said, and the man stopped and turned. Tim saw it with a blur as him and Dick struggled to their feet, She jumped on the guy's back before grabbed his hair, without hesitation she silt his throat. Brown blood sprayed.
The man should have die from that alone but only more blood gushed out, he still moving. He grabbed her and threw the girl in their direction, her body slammed into both him and Dick. They all cried out from the impact as they all clashed into the ground again.
"What the hell is this guy?!" Dick asked as the three of them scrambled to their feet. The man seemed to be in pain from the cut on his throat, he wailed in pain, holding the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. At least he didn't seem to pay attention to them at the moment "You just slit his throat and he still walk about!"
"A giant, that's what" She hissed, pulled her arm back when Tim tried to help her up.
"A what?" Both Dick and Tim asked at the same time. The girl narrowed her eyes at them, as if they just asked the stupidest question.
"…A giant, Laistrygonian Giant to be exact, you know…tall, glowing yellow eyes, sharp claws, cannibal…" She said, rubbed her elbowed from the side that still holding her gleaming dagger. "….if you came from that direction, you just met his dinner…or what's left of it"
"A Laistrygonian Giant, as in Greek Mythology?" Dick raised his eyebrow.
"He ate people?" Tim's voice seemed to be higher than usual.
"Did you miss the part when I said Cannibal?" She looked even more irritated. "He won't die just because I slit his jugular, And I did stabbed him twice there already, he will just keep regenerate. I need to cut his head off. Or burn him to ash…"
"No one kills anyone on our watch, sugar….there must be the other way" Dick argued.
"Are you stupid? Did you see what's left of his dinner over there?" She almost yelled at them but seemed to force herself in the last minute not to. "And don't call me sugar or I will punch you in the face"
"Aw, come on now, suga…..!"
Without hesitating she punched him across the jaw with her left hand. Dick yelped. But the girl looked a little bit more satisfied. "…call me Sugar again, it will be my right hook…" She turned to Tim who still stunned from the act earlier. "….now, since you seem to be more sensible one of the two, eventhough he's your senior….you either stay out of my way, so I can finish him. Or you will help me kill him….whatever you choice, He must be destroyed. He won't stop finding new food if you let him alive, and you won't be able to contain him, no one can…."
Tim blinked at her, they were standing so close now. He could see her face so clearly, her high cheekbones and round eyes, her lips were cut but still making him want to use his thump brushing on it. His mind seemed to stop working, but when she narrowed her eyes at him again. Tim pulled himself back and cleared his throat. Damn teenage hormones!
"I can't just let you kill him, it's against the law"
"Your mortal laws do not cover mythology creatures, don't they?"
True, they didn't. But he couldn't just let this girl chop the guy's head off, he didn't even want to believe that this guy was a giant, he was taller than average person, yes. And they saw the human remain but opened nearby. But still….how can he let a girl decapitate someone on their watch? What if Bruce, the batman knew about this? They would be in serious trouble.
"Look, Bird boy…." She said after glancing at the giant who still wailing in pain, ignoring their little chat, still waiting for his throat to heal. She crossed her arms, still holding the dagger, "….I know I'm in your territory and all but you can't let him live. And don't feel sorry for him, even after I kill him, which I must. He won't really die, his body will disperse, his soul go back to Underworld, he would serve his sentence and reform new body there…."
"Are you saying he will be resurrected?" Dick rubbed his bruised jaw.
"Not exactly but yes" She gazed back to the wailing Giant who started cursing in ancient language. "….I have to do what I must, or else he will tract me down and kill me. Or worse, he will track me down with others and capture me…." Tim saw she hugged herself tighter. Looked away from him. "….I have things to do. I cannot let them capture me, yet…"
Tim shared a look with Dick, but the girl seemed to lose her patience then. She let out a frustrating grunt, turned away and stalked toward the giant. Her hand gripped tighter at hilt of her dagger.
"Wait!…." Tim called out but before she even reached the man, something happened.
Lighting blasted across the dark sky and struck the giant. He screeched.
The impact blew the girl backward, she flew and slammed her body against Tim. White light showered the area before the man started shrieking in agony, he was on fire. Less than a minute his voice was gone, body crumbled to the ground. The area where he stood was burn, when the body hit the grass, it sizzled and the fire dying away from the remaining rain on wet lawn.
No one said anything, not even Dick who Tim was sure his eyes went wide as big as Easter eggs. The girl gasped at the sight, before she looked up in the sky. Tim watched her. She looked even angrier than before.
"That was my kill!...Mine!" She screamed into the sky, as if yelling at someone. "You have no right to take that away after I fought him! You cannot!"
To Tim's surprised the sky rumbled as if to answer her. He noticed the blood seep from the cut on her throat. He reached forward.
"You're injured…." But She flinched away. Shealthing her dagger.
"Don't touch me, mortal…" She hissed.
"Hey, now suga…I mean you…." Dick stopped himself in time. He caught a glare from her. "…You need medical attention, I will get you to hospital, alright?"
"I don't need help. Especially from his people" She said, stalked away so fast toward the edge of the trees line. Neither Dick nor Tim pursued her further.
"We need to call the police for the body…." Dick suggested and stalked away clicking his commlink, contacting The Oracle. A few minute later, he walked back. Pat Tim on the shoulder, "You okay, bro?..."
Tim knew Dick meant about him seeing a gruesome body, some memories from his parents' deaths flickering behind his eyes. But he pushed it away further back in his mind, Tim nodded. "Yeah…."
"We need to call Batman, this might involve the recent serial killings. He will want the details….." Dick said, winced from the cuts on his chest. "Damn…how the hell that girl still walk away without limping?..."
Tim agreed, after the rush of event passed his body started to remind him that he was slashed with sharp claws across the chest as well, not including the aching pain from getting throw around like a bouncing ball. "…..I put a tracker on her when I helped her up,…." He pulled out his PDA and checked the screen, "….She seemed to be heading toward China Town, I will put an alert if she changed the location…."
Dick patted him again on the shoulder, Tim's eyes still glued to his PDA when he heard the police siren. The blinking red dot moved across town and stopped at one of the resident area in China Town. It didn't move anywhere for a while. Tim let out a sigh, telling himself maybe he'd check on her again tomorrow. After all, her injuries were much worse than both of them combined.
Lysandra wasn't sure how she got home. Fury was still burning behind her eyes, but the pain on her body made she stumbled across the living room as she made her way to her bedroom.
Stripping off her clothes, let them slide on the floor, not caring about them for the time being, she winced from the deep cuts when the soaking fabric rubbed pass them. Lysandra dizzily walked to her small bathroom, stepped into the shower stall and let the lukewarm stream washed away the blood and warm her body from the cold rain. She gritted her teeth all the while. Wishing silently to have a tub she could submerge under water like she used to do after long day of training.
She stopped her wishful thinking of Themyscira, washing away the dirt from her wounds and the sensation from the contact that made her skin crawl earlier. Scrubbed her body with Soap and her hair with shampoo. Ignoring the searing pain from her side, inspected the large bruise, probably from hitting tree. Scrapes on the back of her thighs, as well as few shallow cuts.
She stayed under the rushing stream until she felt her skin started to wrinkled. Lysandra stepped out. Snatched the fluff towel from the drying rod wrapped it around her body and stumble her way back inside her bedroom.
Lysandra fell on to bed, ignoring her wet hair. She knew her body would shut down soon so it could start self-healing. Her eye lids were heavy and she rolled on the pink comforter on to her bruised body, not caring to put on pajamas.
Sudden realization hit her. Her father's protégés had known about her. They might not know who she was but they know of her existent now.
Beware of the birdboy.
The goddess's word echoed in her mind. She cursed her luck.
She rolled on to her side and closed her eyes, secured her comforter over her body as if it was a shield. She was too tired, too exhausted. Fighting the urge to sleep wasn't a good idea at the moment.
I will deal with them later when I woke and healed. She thought.
Lysandra let sleep claimed her, wishing she wouldn't dream about anything or anyone. She was granted.
Bruce did not do Daydreaming. The Batman did not do Daydreaming.
He told himself that every time he was back in The Justice League meeting room. Once a month, he agreed to be back up here for the founder meeting, letting Superman pat him on the shoulder, let J'onn sent him sympathetic glance, or even let Flash hummed Like a virgin, during the meeting. He wasn't the type to need to be around people. He liked being alone, brooding or whatever people called it. But it was for letting the memories of certain someone assaulted him endlessly as he sat in silence throughout the meet.
His blue eyes behind the white lenses always found the empty chair beside the man of steel. His mind drifted away, not paying much attention to the details of the meeting, He would read the logs later, he didn't care much as his heart squeezed tight at the sight of the empty chair.
Wonder Woman's chair. Diana's chair.
The six of them silently agreed not to take it away, instead let it sat there as if she was always with them. As if she was sitting there nodding eagerly at Superman's words, or like sometimes when she thought he wasn't looking at her, she would glance his way, smiling.
Once a month he allowed himself to sink into the memories of her. Remembering the short time they had, the time he was happy once again after his parent's murders, then that short-lived happiness was gone. She left him. Just like his parent.
Oh, how his heart hurt. But maybe it was for the better, Diana was home, where she would be happy with her mother, among her sisters. Not in constant pain causing by his insecurity. He told himself after he gave up the idea of searching for Paradise Island. For years he tried. Maybe her gods were in agreement of keeping him away from her. Protect her from him. It was for the better.
"Oracle to Batman." Barbara's voice boomed into his commlink. The channel used only between people in the bat family. He clicked and responded. "Batman here."
The room pulsed and stopped discussing as if they knew, Superman's eyes were on him. Concerning. Bruce stood, and turned away.
"….There's a situation. A homeless guy found dead in Robinson Park…." Barbara replied back, her voice was heavy with something Bruce could tell.
"The same like recent murders?"
"…maybe. He was ripped open, Batman. Eaten alive…..Nightwing and Robin fought the perp, he died."
"They killed the murderer?" His heart thudded. No, no…not this.
"No, Batman….." She pulsed for a moment. "….The guy was struck by a lightning, burn to ash."
"A what"
"…..A Lightning…"
"Batman, Wait!" Familiar voice called after him after he quickly excusing himself out of the meeting. He didn't have to turn around to see who was following him. Superman rushed after him. He ignored the man of steel, telling Mr. Terrific to punch in transport destination.
"…I don't have time for this, Superman" He said, stepping on the platform.
"Is it another body?" He asked, damn his reporter instinct. The serial killing news had reached nationwide when the third body was found.
"Yes but it might be irrelevant case altogether…." He muttered, "What do you want?"
His friend's blue eyes flickered with concern, "….If you needed the league to help…."
"Gotham is my responsible, therefore I can handle it" He cut him off. Nodding his head to Mr. Terrific, signaling he was ready. He said before materialized,
"Go home to your wife, Clark. Go home to your children…." To a life I'd never have.
He made it to Robinson Park not long after, Rushing through the wet ground. The Police's siren lights coated the area surrounded it in red and blue tinges. Forensic team processing the ground as he crossed the yellow tape, Commissioner Gordon looked very displeased, Dick and Tim with him, waiting for his arrival.
The older gentleman didn't say anything but walked away, two body bags were carted out of the area. Bruce guessed they belonged to the victim and the murderer. Both Dick and Tim limped toward him.
"Why you didn't contact me sooner?" He forced his voice to stay as calm as possible as he said to Dick. Eyeing both of their injuries, cuts and bruises were visible in sight.
"Because, We were just checking out at first….then the fight breakout and we were trying to stop this girl from the idea of decapitating the perp…" Dick's voice showed irritation. But Bruce cut him off.
"What girl?"
"She was attacked by the same guy when we got here…." Tim said before Dick could continue."…..She survived, not seriously injured."
"Did she have connection to the victim?"
"No, she was just passing by…." Tim replied, "….she fought back, then we stepped in, we fought the perp. Suddenly BOOM. The lightning blasted him to ash. And here we are"
Bruce eyed his current Robin, the cuts on his chest were shallow but the bruises on his face were visible. Dick on the other hand, seemed to get deeper cuts, but less bruises. Still, they injured in his absence.
"Again, why you didn't contact me sooner?"
"No time to…" Dick said, shrugged but winced from his injuries.
"Go get your wounds tend, I will meet you both at the cave" He ordered.
"And, what are you going to do?" Dick asked, raised an eyebrow.
"I will get the details from Gordon….Barbara mentioned the victim was eaten alive?"
"Yep, ripped open in the open like carcass…."
Bruce pulsed, the M.O. are different, maybe it was nothing connected to the recent killings. But never hurt to get the information. He nodded his head. "….Go, both of you. I will meet you at the cave…."
"Aw, Batman if I didn't know better, I thought you'd actually care" Dick grinned at him smugly but He stalked away without a word.
"Why did you lie to him about the girl?" Dick questioned him when they reached the place where they both parked their motorcycles.
Shrugging, Tim replied. "….She seemed to recognize who we are, and seem to not wanting our help because of it… "
"And…..?"
"And I want to know why….maybe she's hiding something"
Dick raised an eyebrow at him and grinned. "Why, brother. If I didn't know better I would say you are interested in her…."
"I am interesting in her interest" Tim corrected. "She seemed to know what that creature was and know out to destroy it…." He pulsed. "….Don't you want to know?"
"Riiiight, but not that much to lie to The Batman….."
Tim shrugged again as he climbed on his motorcycle. Telling himself he was just curious about her and that was all. She was almost like a puzzle he wanted to solve. Nothing to do with his teenage hormones that seem to appreciate her more than he would like.
A tall man with glowing eyes watched the mortal polices rushed around the park. He cursed his brother silently as he saw the second body bag was carted out. He was killed by a lightning, burn to ash. Probably because of his action, even he had warned him not to feed of mortal in public, he brother went and did anyway, resulting his death.
But at least, the demigod they were looking for had been unearthed.
He turned and walked away in excitement, rushing to the dark street before materialized inside a luxury penhouse, he nodded at the guards. They opened the door for him, leading to the inner room.
There, a beautiful dark hair woman sat on the large so far, face the large glass window. Holding a glass of red liquid in her slender fingers, a pleasurable moaning escaped from the door nearby. She ignored it, so did him.
"What is it, Blasius?" She sipped her drink, crimson color of blood.
"Cordelia, We lost Bakchos, someone struck him to dusk after he went public feeding…." He reported to the woman. She didn't show any emotion, only swirl the liquid in her glass.
"Shame." She said, he knew she didn't even mean it. The bitch was colder than an iceberg. "…and?"
"We found the demigod, I got her scent, we can track her soon"
The statement made her turned around, smiled flashing in her dark eyes, she stood. Her silk robe swayed with her body as she seemed to glided to the closing door, swung it opened.
Blasius got a glimpse of other two beautiful woman, Caroline and Chloe, sisters of Cordelia. Both hovered over a naked man, his eyes glossed over, laying on the bed, moaning in pleasure as Caroline, the blond one, sucked on his opened wrist, crimson drop bled down from her lips. Chloe was the one who turned toward Cordelia first, wiped her mouth away of the blood.
"Sisters! Blasius found the bastard kid" Cordelia announced. Making Caroline stopped her motion in midair and looked up, the man groaned from the loss of her mouth. Cordelia ignored and continued "We will contact the Mistress soon…"
"Aww….meaning we can't enjoy Mark much longer…." Chloe protested.
"Shame, I rather like him…." Caroline shrugged and went back to do her sucking. Grounding her clothed body to him as she did. He moaned again, even paler than before.
Blasius almost grimanced. But instead, he stepped back, minding his own business. If the bitches liked to play with their food before they finished the job, he didn't care. As long as the job was done.
He walked away, getting himself ready, He had a demigod to hunt and his brother's death to avenge.
Ps :: Well, another chapter finished. This one's shorter than the last two chapters. I kinda lost my urge to continue for a bit after some anon said my story blows. Well, I know I can't please everyone. I just have to remind myself why I started writing it in the first place, I want to please myself. So I'm going to continue to write what I want, how I want it. Sorry that anon, if you dislike it then please move on the other stories on
I promise for action in the next chapter though. As Lysandra is about to find the artifact leading to the seal, but how can she get it when she will be hunted from the monsters?
Don't forget to review, Until the next chapter!