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 :: I know, I know I'm very LATE. And I am sorry. Life has not been kind to me. I was in and out of hospital a few times, then I started this new job. So I have even less time in hand to finish anything. Don't want to make any excuses but yeah. Let just say I was lucky to have enough time to finally get this chapter out.
Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy was writing them.
Warning :: Un-beta. Very graphic violent in this chapter. People with a faint of heart might want to skip some part though I wouldn't recommend it.
Chapter 15 :: Rock 'n Roll Suicide.
Be careful making wishes in the dark
Can't be sure when they've hit their mark
And besides in the mean time
I'm just dreaming of tearing you apart
I'm in the details with the devil
So now the world can never get me on my level
I just gotta get you off the cage
I'm a young lover's rage
Gonna need a spark to ignite
My songs know what you did in the dark
Writers keep writing what they write
Somewhere another pretty vein just died
I've got the scars from tomorrow and I wish you could see
That you're the antidote to everything except for me
A constellation of tears on your lashes
Burn everything you love, then burn the ashes
In the end everything collides
My childhood spat back out the monster that you see
My songs know what you did in the dark
- Fall out Boy, My song know what you did in the dark.
Tim didn't know how long he'd laid there. His body numb, after it seemed like the fifth cut…or the twentieth, he starting to feel nothing. His throat burn, not sure from the liquid that was forced down earlier or from screaming.
He didn't even remember if he'd screamed. Because the voice he heard didn't sound like his. Maybe the pain had obscured his ability to hear. And it'd stopped after a while. The only voice that left in that room was the continued hysterical laughs.
The blond Empousa'd climbed on top of him, straddled his midsection and started slashing with her sharp blade. He could feel the blood oozing from the wounds. She laughed, giggled and bent her head down to lick the crimson liquid off. Tim forced the bile in his throat that rose every time her tongue grazed down the open wounds. His fists clenched.
He'd trashed against the restrains but whatever the witches had used they were strong enough to keep him in place. So after numerous unsuccessfully attempts, He'd stopped that too. His body cooperated willingly, he tried not to think that it was because of how much blood he had already lost. Tim just stared straight up to the ceiling and lay still.
He stopped timing his torture when he starting to see white in his vision. Maybe his eyes were rolling back in his head, he wasn't sure. But the cut had stopped. A weight lifted from his body. Someone was yelling something in the background but his conscious was slipping away. Before Tim knew what was happened, his body was being lifted and moved.
A sound of metal slamming made Tim fought to stay awake with everything inside him. When his body was thrown on the floor, pain ricocheted through every muscle as he lay sideway.
"You won't die yet, mortal." A voice came from nearby, a male voice. Tim squinted his eyes and lifted his head to see but it caused him to wince from the wounds. Trying to blink but could only made out a silhouette of a large body. The only think that caught his attention were the glowing yellow eyes….he had seen them somewhere before. But where was it?
"Gorgon blood will keep you alive long enough. When your little lady show up, we'll all have some fun. And my brother shall be avenged" Tim eyes finally focused and he saw a very tall man flashing his sharp teeth with a smile. Between them were metal bars and Tim realized he was put in a cage.
…tall, glowing yellow eyes, sharp claws, cannibal…
A Laistrygonian Giant.
A flush of memories flowed in his mind. The first time he met Lysandra, a pretty girl who fought a giant in the rain. It hadn't been that long but for some reason it seemed to be ages ago. So this giant was a brother to the one who got stuck by a lightning. Tim swallowed the throbbing pain and spoke.
"Y….your brother killed an innocent man…."
"To us, you are food." His deep voice seemed calm. "….Just like you how eat cows or chickens. You humans eat anything that walk or not. But you can't also be on the menu for others? Do not make me laugh, mortal."
"She…" Tim clenched his teeth as he tried to get better view of the surrounding. "She didn't kill him. A lightning—"
"Oh, I know. I was there."
Tim frowned at that. When finally able to propped himself up against the wall despite the pain that tore at every of his movement, he realized the cage wasn't that big. He could see the slab that he was strapped on a moment ago. There were actually two altars, and seemed like the Empousa had another person tied up on another table, she sat on top of him probably just like she'd done with Tim.
Whimpers and moan floated around the dim room, Tim blinked and realized the woman was grinding her hips down on her other captive—who didn't seem to mind one bit being tied up as she bent her head down and sucked the crimson liquid seeping from a cut near his collarbone that she'd made with her nasty looking knife into her mouth.
"They liked to play with their foods" The Giant chuckled when he caught Tim's horrid expression. He tilted his head to Caroline. "…..they didn't even know they were being draining dry. Some of them passed over with pleasure on their faces. Not even realized what an ugly creature had just cheated them out of life." Then he turned back to Tim. His yellow eyes glowed. "Too bad you broke their glamour. You knew exactly what was doing to you. Pray that your little Amazon come to you fast, mortal. Because those bitches aren't very patient lots"
Tim eyed the giant. And then he said. "…you don't like them."
He didn't reply but disgust of his face said it all. So Tim pressed in. "Then why you are helping—?"
"Because it was time to take it back. The world used to belong to us. Mortals were just food in ancient times until those Olympians'd ruled this plane. They'd created us, some of us were their own offsprings. But what did they do? Sending their mortal Halflings to slay us, imprisoned us in the depth of hell, that's what they did. The old king has promise us the freedom to roam the earth. Me and my brethren shall be free again. I don't have to like those bloodthirsty whores but I shall put up with them to succeed my goal."
This giant seemed to be very smart, unlike this brother they'd encountered at Robinson park. The next word took him by surprised, Tim didn't even know he had even blurted it out. "…She won't come, you know….."
The giant turned to him again, he smiled, showing very sharp teeth. "….if those Amazons didn't change their ways of life and your little Halfling was growing up as one, One thing I've known about them. They're very possessive lots. Especially what they considered belong to them. They'd go to Wars over prideful things over and over again….even they'd said they were Bringer of Peace."
With that the Giant walked away from the cage. Leaving Tim inside, propping against the far wall, facing the altar. The blond Empousa hovered over a naked young man who writhed with pleasure under her, she laughed as she drank from his opened wound. From how much blood had gushing out, it wouldn't take long to finish this unfortunate soul.
Tim clenched his hands, let out a small groan with his body moved and shut his eyes. Guilt eating inside, he knew that young man wouldn't last long and he couldn't do a thing to save his life. He almost laughed. He couldn't even save himself now, how could he save someone else?
What kind of a Hero would I be then?
But he just didn't have an answer to that.
The throbbing pain starting to dull and leading his mind to shut down, Tim let himself slid down to his side, lower his upper body down to lay sideways. Pulling his exposed legs up, almost in a fetal position to conserve his body heat in this cold room since they had stripped him down only to his boxer briefs, he kept his eyes closed but Caroline's hysterical laugh and that unlucky man's moan— the man he wouldn't be able to save— still filling his ears. He didn't try to block it out. So we wouldn't forget that he needed to get out of here.
He wouldn't want Lysandra to come. Even to save his life. Because he knew what would be waiting for her. Whatever they'd done to him, it would be much worse for her.
Before he knew it, oblivion had dragged him into exhausted sleep.
When Tim came to again, he was hauled back on to the altar. Restrained and spread just like before. Caroline's long and ugly face hovered over him with a sardonic smile.
"Welcome back, mortal." She said and nicked his chest with her blade. His skin throbbed as it was slice opened. When she bent down to suck the blood out of him, he fought the urge not to buck and threw up. Instead he turned his head to nearby altar, his eyes went wide when he saw it was bloody but empty.
Caroline lifted her head and followed his gaze and shrugged. "Bradley didn't last that long. Last time I'm getting these geeks as a meal. Even though their virgin blood was pretty sweet but he didn't have the stamina those jocks have…."
Tim just stared blankly at her. Horror gripped at him.
"And since your wounds are healed up….I thought we can give it a go again…." Her hungry gaze roamed down at him before she used the hilt of the blade to trace down his pectoral muscle. "….hmm. I can see all those night patrolling is agreeing with you…." She bit down on his chest, her blunt teeth dug into his flesh he was sure she would leave marks. Tim shut his eyes and clenched his hands. His body tensed up when she tried to ground her pelvic down to his. Very aware of what her intention to do.
Disgusted rolled over him. And his body complied and went limped from the contact. Showing her his uninterest. Caroline frowned down at him. Clearly getting the message.
"You clearly need a little pain to stimulate, huh?...good, I shall comply." Her dark eyes burn with anger before Tim had a time to prepare, the blade slash across his pectoral muscle. He gritted his teeth and forced himself not to hiss. The cut was shallow, not enough to kill him.
Then another cut came, followed by another and another.
He just stared pass her shoulder to the skeleton chandeliers. And kept his body as still as possible.
Not that he'd given up.
In this circumstance, most people would start thinking of what they'd done wrong. How did this had happened to them? Why them and not someone else? How did they got caught in the first place? If they had been careful enough would they end up like they did?
Those would likely be things that gone though in normal people's minds.
But he wasn't just normal people. He's the Robin to the Batman. He'd considered a highly trained combatant to assist the famous vigilante in history.
So instead of wonder about what had gone wrong, Tim was trained to wait and think. Endure and outthink the situation, the opponent, the circumstance.
Tim'd known they had taken him to bait Lysandra. He also knew she wouldn't kill him yet, the cuts she'd given him were shallow, not deep enough to be fatal. But what he didn't know was would he mattered enough to her, for her to come running. He'd doubted it. They'd known each other less than a week. And the last time of their face to face, she'd made sure he knew she didn't want or need his help. He'd hoped Dick….or Bruce was able to track her down before she inserted herself in worse situation. Not that he expected her to come to his rescue, Tim would laugh at himself if she did. Because, that would be very embarrassing.
And another rule he'd learned from Batman. Do not expect to be rescued.
So instead of wasting whatever energy he had left, he just conserved it instead. Perhaps, the drug he was forced to take had actually numbed the pain. At least, when his brain was fully function, Tim would started evaluating his escape routes.
"Huh...you're done fighting already?" Caroline stopped her hand midair. Tim didn't glance at her but somewhat he'd known she was scowling. Suddenly her free hand gripped his chin and yanked him to look at her. As he thought she was furious. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!"
Tim just stared coldly at her, he didn't avert her angry eyes but he didn't show her any emotion either. Wearing the infamous Poker Face just like The Batman himself had trained him, provoking the opponent without physical contact.
Apparently it seemed to work. Because after a good five minutes, The Empousa let out frustrated shriek, let go of his chin and threw a blood soak knife on to the metal cart.
"You dare defy your Mistress?!" She screamed.
Tim forced himself not to roll his eyes and retort the crazed witch was no way his mistress...talking about screwed up kinky pun. He just stared straight up at a spot on the ceiling he found much more fascinating than her ugly horse teeth. Somewhat Tim had wished that he hadn't see through her glamour, maybe it would be easier for him not to laugh his hide off when the psychotic wench was slashing hi—
A blow came down on face, hard. His head snapped sideway from the force of it, leaving the taste of his blood in his mouth and his left ear rang, he barely heard the shriek from the blond Empousa.
"You ignorant—"
The shriek came, followed by another slash on his chest. This time now as shallow as ones she had inflicted on him before. His numb body felt thwack of pain and splash of his blood hit his chin.
"—foolish—"
Another cut him lower this time. Tim could feel liquid blood dripped down along the side of his torso. He shut his eyes tight and prepare for another one.
"—little mortal!"
The last cut went up near his collarbone, nicked his chin, but Tim also knew the crazed wench was too angry to actually care where she slashing. Rational starting to fly away from his torturer. The next cut and ones after starting to go deeper than the ones before. Pain started to make its way back. Tim could only grind his molars until the back teeth ached, he wouldn't let his voice out now.
"Enough!" A voice boomed from afar or nearby, Tim wasn't even sure anymore. He didn't open his eyes but the slashing stopped. Taking a comfort from the break of his torture, Tim let out a shaky breath he didn't remember holding.
The voice moved closer now. Before a cool hand touch his face, pushed as if to examine. "Blasius, get Caroline off him. NOW!"
His face was probably the last thing he worried at the moment, his torso probably shredded as ribbons by now. Suddenly the weight was lifted off him, the giant who had tossed him in the cell earlier picked up the crazed female and tossed her on to her feet. She looked furious, her creamy designer dress slashed with blood—Tim's blood. Blasius, the giant eyed him with amusement before he moved to the side, clearly didn't want to get between the two crazy Empousa.
Cordelia, the dark hair and the oldest of the siblings assessed him with her eyes. "Look what've you done to his face! Don't forget Eris wanted him. I wouldn't test that bitch's crankiness if I were you, sister."
"Hmph! That heifer aren't even reformed properly yet! Whatever those Amazon whores did to her, banged her up pretty good."
Despite his situation, Tim almost laughed when horse-faced ladies called the Goddess of Discord, a cow.
"Exactly. You know how long she could hold a grudge. That's why she wants this boy for herself. She wanted to kill him in front of that little Halfling….." The older witch said.
"That little bitch killed Chole! We should be the one who rip her throat opened!" The crazed blond argued. "I can still feel like my body was ripped apart when she died! We both did. So we should be the one to shred that Halfling apart!"
A snort came out before he could stop himself, all three of them turned to him. Swallowing the lump in his throat. He managed to say. "She won't come. You won't succeed."
They stared at him before Cordelia laughed, hard. Silent alarm rang inside him but he kept his expression flaccid, his eyes gazed to the giant who stood in the background, his face clam but the little smile on his face was giving it away. His heart started to sink.
No! No! No!
Finally Cordelia's laughter died and she stepped closer to his altar. Her long red-polished nails grazed his tensed shoulder in a slight pat. She smiled down at him. "Well, mortal boy. Since you've been out for a few hours, you didn't know about our guest of honor." She turned to her sister. "Caroline, show him his knight in shining armor."
Caroline cocked her hips and made tsk sound but she held her hand out in front of her. The air shimmered and mirror-like panel appeared. Tim lifted his head to stare at the motion picture that playing like a movie screen.
Lysandra, literary in the golden armor that would probably gleam in the sunlight if not for all the crimson slush, She twisted and turned. Dodged and rushed, stabbed and slashed through the mobs of large men with sharp teeth and claws. Brown blood splattered, her face, body and hair covered in gore of her opponent. She roared the battle cries and plunged her sword into another man's large neck. Blood gushed out when she pulled the blade out, she laughed before swung it into another man's jugular. Her eyes gleamed in crimson.
Tim blinked. Hopefully his eyes were playing trick, he stared harder even craning his neck for a better look.
But her eyes were no longer the color of stormy sky, instead they were the same color as the blood she'd spilled.
"Look like someone just picked a side. Eris won't like it when she knows of this." Cordelia said, showing contempt on her face. While Caroline frowned at the scene that playing in front of them.
"That little chit is championing for War? But he'd never pick a woman, let alone a little girl!?" The blond looked furious. "He said the only good for woman is to be in bed!"
"Apparently, we are wrong. This will prove to be a problem. Because the only way to defeat Ares's champion is for them to surrender willingly." Cordelia said coldly before her eyes glanced at Tim's direction. Suddenly she smiled. "ah…..I forgot we have the prize right here."
Caroline followed her sister's gaze to him. Her mouth curved up, she didn't look approve. "But I'm still pla—"
"Shut it." She cut her sister off before motioned her hand to the giant who stood silently nearby. "Blasius, get things ready. We're giving our guest a warm welcome."
The Giant nodded before ambled away. Cordelia moved closer to Tim. Their gaze locked when she looked down. She smiled.
Tim clenched his teeth, pain throbbing throughout his body and he didn't like the look in her eyes at all. "No." He gritted the word out. "Whatever make you think you could use me, I will not do it."
"Ah." The witch leaned back a bit and assessed him. "But you see, mortal. We are not asking. Blasius, Strap him…..and as much as we like to hear him scream, gag his mouth. I don't want him to ruin our little fun."
Cordelia waved her hand and the dingy torture room disappeared replacing by a clean deco living room. White luxurious sofa set facing the floor to ceiling glass windows showing Gotham City Night lights. The room was lit bright with expensive looking lamps, skeleton chandeliers were now crystal ones.
Tim was out of the restrains less than a minute before he got a change to do anything, Blasius tossed him to the main column in the middle of the room. Before his brain had time to work he was chained again. His hands spread to his sides with his legs together.
Pain throbbed through his body as Blasius stuffed fabric into his mouth, gagging him. His expression amused.
"See it now, mortal? Told you she would come for you." He muttered to Tim as he tightening the gag around his face. Tim struggled the first time since he decided to conserve his energy. The giant only laughed at his attempt before walked away. From where he was chained, he could see the foyer of the penthouse and the elevator.
Blasius took a place by the foyer with a group of large men in black suit that Tim had feeling they weren't human. The siblings sat down on the large sofa, Cordelia's face look satisfied while Caroline put a hand mirror out of nowhere and start fluffing her hair, while her designer clothes and shoes still painted with Tim's blood. She reapplied her lip gloss before tossing the mirror over her shoulder, Tim didn't hear it hit anything. Before she leaned back and crossed her long legs.
"I gotta look my best! This moment will be branded in history that we, the empousa capture the Halfling! Every mystic channels and networks will talk about it for millennia! Too bad your wounds have stopped bleeding…" She glanced over at Tim and said with a disappointed look. "He looks much better all cut and slashed up…."
Tim bit down on the fabric in his mouth and pulled on his restrains. Caroline laughed until her sister held up the hand.
"Enough, Caroline." Cordelia gave her a warning look. "Blasius, let our guest come up and meet the lover boy."
Blasius nodded and leaned over to one of his men who stood next to him, he said something in hush tone. The man's sardonic grin spread across his face, showing sharp teeth before ambled out to the elevator.
Tim could feel the seconds passed by agonizingly slow as he watched the man get in and the door sliding closed.
"Won't be long now." Cordelia said from her seat. Tim didn't even glance her way because his eyes were glued to the entrance way but he could tell from her tone, she was very pleased. "Don't worry little mortal, your princess is coming to rescue you."
Tim wanted to scream. And for the first time since he met Lysandra, he wasn't looking forward in seeing her pretty face or those soul-penetrating blue eyes. He didn't want to see her at all.
She felt like she was intoxicating, drunk on the rush of adrenaline. But Lysandra knew it wasn't just that. The more blood she spilled and the bodies she piled up the higher she got.
She could hear laughter, it sounded like hers but something was different. She'd never laughed while she fought. Through training or in the arena, countless time she did smiled, grinned, smirked just to provoke her opponents but she'd never laughed.
Something was wrong inside her, maybe it was the rush that came with the powers so she wouldn't complain. Because, now she was invincible.
The Cyclopes were brutal. They didn't hold back even she was the only threat in the room. They kept coming at her. Their claws slashed into her flesh, tore it opened. She got thrown into the brick wall, it crumbled around her. Fists and legs connected to her jaw, her chins countless time. She could feel the dent in her armor and the chips on her swords. But none of those things kept her down. The pain she should feel was nowhere near.
And as she swung her swords, cutting through the enemies, she knew something inside her starting to grow. The thirst for more— more blood and gore to paint the ground in crimson.
Should she be afraid?
No.
Because she couldn't effort to. Because if she didn't have these powers, she had no chance. She would be the one who lay bleeding on this marble floor with her organs torn open. Not that she wasn't good. Lysandra knew she was a great fighter. Artemis'd trained her to be, not just good but great. But she was still half mortal. And against these monsters, she would take any advantage she got.
Because if she didn't accept this gift, another life would be lost—an innocent life that just happened to cross path with hers. She might not like the fact that because of Tim, now that man knew she existed. But Tim wasn't supposed to be dragged into this mess, her mess, their mess. The goddess had dragged him into this. And she knew she didn't give him a choice—maybe Tim didn't even know that Athena might have influenced him into helping her. And Lysandra knew how it felt not to be given a choice.
And because she needed to win this fight in order to get her mother back.
So even she knew Ares's gift was a dangerous one. It was the only one that would get her there. She knew accepting War's gift was a move she shouldn't make. The political games among Olympians were always brutal. And Lysandra would deal with the consequences. All because in the end she would have her mother alive and breathing.
Lysandra pulled her sword out of the Cyclop's bowel before brought another down at his neck, the blade cut through flesh and bone and the head sliced off the shoulder, hitting the floor with a thud. Lysandra pushed his lifeless sagging body away from her. It crumbled at her feet. And realized he was the last one. Her grip still tightening on her swords' hilts as she breathed deep. The smell of blood filled the air as she looked around.
Bodies were scattered everywhere—on the floor, on the front desk counter, on the expensive looking sofas. Walls, tables, marble floor were painted with dark red color of blood. The ground beneath her feet slippery from the red liquid. Her hairs and face sticky. Her armor dent and were no longer shinny.
And for a moment, the battlefield was silence. Her enemies crushed beneath her feet. Piled on the floor and she was the last one standing, soon theirs corpses would started to decay as their souls traveled back to the underworld. Lysandra lifted her face upward, took a deep breath of victory.
She'd won this round. As for the next one? Who knew, maybe she'd lost but she would take one battle at a time.
Then she heard it, the police siren. Blue and red lights flashed from behind. Sound of commotion finally registered through her. Without sheathing her swords, Lysandra turned around. And saw him.
Among the police cruisers and probably whole force of GCPD, she could see SWAT Team was ready to take action. Flashes were on from the media, News vans and bystanders were gathered outside the front of the building. The grim sky of Gotham hued with dark orange letting her know the sun was setting.
But all of that didn't really matter. Because he was there.
He stood tall in this black suit—he seemed taller in person. His black caped swung and flew behind as he moved closer. He was scowling behind the cowl. His gloved hands fisted in tight balls.
Lysandra's breath hitched.
The Batman was here.
His Batmoblie came to abruptly stop after it roared through the streets of Gotham. Somewhere nearby Dick's motorcycle was following behind him. Blue and red from police siren were ahead of him. But the gathering crowds had blocked the path, not only the polices were at the scene but SWAT Team and bomb squad were also called in. He could see flashes went off, News vans were parked both side of the street. This was not going to be pretty.
The crowds parted as he marched up to the front line. He ignored whispers and gasps, including the microphones and cameras that were shoved into his face asking the reason of his presence. When got there, seeing police barricades. Commissioner Gordon and his men, their faces grimed. As soon as the commissioner saw him, his face lit up just little showing relief but still grimed nonetheless.
"We have fifty three residents still inside…." He said. Didn't question his presence there. Didn't ask why he was here when they didn't lit the signal. None of his men said a thing, although he could see doubt flashed across their faces. "…and we're locked out."
His eyes shot straight forward, beyond the barricades. A few feet away, he saw the force field between. He took a step closer to examine it. The barrier was solid wall to his touch. He grounded his teeth, knowing he can't do anything about it and clicked his commlink.
"Batman to Oracle."
"Oracle here." Barbara immediately replied in his ear. "Tell me what you need."
"Get Zatanna here ASAP. No one else."
"Roger that." A short silence greeted him. Before Barbara spoke again. "…..We'll get them out. Both of them."
"We will." He would, he had to. It wasn't a promise or a prayer. It was a vow. "Batman out."
"We needed to get the residents out—" He heard Gordon's words coming from behind but it died after he caught the sight in front of him.
Through the force field and shattered glass doors and windows, inside that lobby were painted red. Bodies and parts that used to belong with ones scattered everywhere. Three large men with tattered black suits, were attacking one smaller, female figure at the same time. He could see the gleam of her swords even though they were soaked with dark red color as she swung them expertly and twisted her body, dodging and pushing back as if she was trained to do it all her life—which probably was.
She didn't hold back and went for the kill, each stab and slash were lethal. One by one, her opponents staggered before she delivered the ending blows, decapitated them without a flinch, without second guess, without hesitation. As if she had done that all her life….
His hands fisted tighter, Gordon still saying something to him but he could barely hear a word. His mind was rattled for a fact that the girl in front of him had killed without uncertainty. Even Diana never ended a life without a second guess. But the girl he saw, did it so naturally. Every blow she delivered was guaranteed that her opponents would meet with death.
The last one's head slid off his shoulder and the heavy body sagged forward, Bruce watched as she braced before pushing the headless body away. And then she stood still, with her back to him. Her dark braid matted with blood and her Amazonian armors were no longer shined, dents were spotted so easily telling him how many blow she had taken. And he was sure the utility belt that was strapped across her shoulder belonged to Tim. Her hands still gripped her swords. Her stance didn't change as if she was still waiting for more enemies to come. He walked closer, almost pressed to the barrier so he could get a better look at her.
She was shorter than Diana. While Diana was built like a goddess she was also have a honed body of a warrior, her muscles beautifully pronounced, showing the strength she possessed. But this girl, even donning Amazonian Armors, even she fought like one, even her hair, her body and her hand matted with dried blood. She was still look like a delicate flower. Her body slender and lithe like a dancer. She should be in Ballet class, not in that lobby soaking in blood.
His heart clenched harder in his chest.
"…as far as I can see, those men we saw aren't humans. Even I could see those claws and teeth…but still…" Commissioner's voice brought him back but his eyes were still fixed on the girl inside the lobby who stood still among the shattered glasses, headless bodies and gore. "Is she….Is she one of yours?"
Behind him he could feel Dick's tensed. The question hit him where it hurt most. His inside almost crashing but it wasn't despair he was feeling, somewhere in this screw up situation it was joy he felt, for the first in a very long time. So he didn't look at back at them. His eyes still on her back.
The answer came to him so naturally he didn't have to think twice, he didn't have analyze a thing at all. He just answered. "Yes. She's mine."
Mine. My daughter. My child.
And then as if the girl had heard his declaration. She turned around. Their eyes met. The crimson glow he saw before started to fade and then he saw the dark blue eyes same with his own looking back.
Without thinking he moved closer his face almost smack into the force field, as close as he could get when she turned fully to face him. His heart pounded so hard he wonder if it would jump out of his chest. But he didn't care.
Behind him he could feel Dick's tensed. She had Diana's nose, Diana's chin, Diana's cheekbone and Diana's lips. But her eyes were his. Their soul piecing stare linked. She didn't smile, neither did he. But it was something else that caught his attention.
There was an accusation in her eyes. She didn't hide it, instead she was blasting it at him.
He didn't get it yet, though he would, later. It wasn't important now. She was here and he was here. They'd finally met.
The word left him, like he'd been saying it every day in his life for the seventeen years, her name.
"Lysandra"
"Lysandra"
She flinched at his deep baritone, it barely louder than a whisper, she probably shouldn't hear it. But it was obvious he said her name though she didn't force her eyes away. With his white lenses attaching to the cowl, she could truly look into his eyes. So she could throw accusation into his face and see how he'd react.
Because of you, mother is gone! You didn't come for me! You'd abandoned me!
How she wanted to scream those words at him. She knew it wasn't all true. But it didn't make her any less angry with him.
Lysandra noticed that he looked like he wanted to get closer but couldn't then her eyes caught the transparent shimmering barrier, realizing it was some kind of force field. At least it stopped him from coming in.
"You need to get out of there." He said again with that deep, deep voice. This time she didn't flinch, she remembered why she was there.
"No."
"Listen, little girl. My protégé is in ther—"
She didn't let him finish. "I know."
He stared at her and she swallowed. Would he blame her too? Because of her, his precious protégé was held hostage and tortured.
Lysandra saw his jaw clenched. Good. So she continued. "Those bitches—"
"Language."
Rolling her eyes, she kept talking. "Those witches wanted me in exchange for your birdboy. So I am here getting him out. Then I am taking care of them."
This time, the corner of his mouth twitched. Clearly not pleased the idea she just presented, not that it mattered. Too bad then.
His eyes narrowed down on me. "No. You get yourself out of there right now. And I will deal with this, my way."
Now, her eyes twitched at his words. She took a step back and lifted her chin and said firmly. "No. This is my mess. I'm cleaning it up."
"Listen, young lady. There're fifty three residents still stuck in that building. Not including Tim. And from what I understand, those people waiting for you are cold blood murderers—"
So he finally caught on about everything she and Tim did. Lysandra slid her glare toward the man's former protégé, even with a mask obscured his face, she remembered his pretty face. His eyebrow lifted at her glare then shrugged. Letting her know it didn't penetrating through his thick shell of skin. Before she got a chance to listen to what the man had to say, a Ding sound came from the elevator. So did the man in front of her. She could feel his eyes lifted from her and went beyond her shoulder, suddenly his body tensed.
Her hands tightened on the swords as she turned around.
A very tall and built man walk out from the elevator when the door opened. He assessed the state of the lobby before his eye shot to her, another Cyclops. His face tightened as his one eye glared at her.
"Halfling." He growled, showing his anger.
Lysandra lifted her chin. "Cyclops."
"The mistresses require you to leave your armors and weapon here, If you wanted you friend in one piece." The Cyclops said.
"No." Batman said with clipped voice from behind her. His tone made Lysandra's eyes twitched in annoyance. She clenched her jaw and ignored him, instead kept her eyes on the Cyclops.
"How do I know you people won't lie about it."
"You don't." The Cyclops smiled. "But that is your choice. The force field will not prevent you from leaving. Go, if you decided to save your life. The Mistresses shall enjoy her fineness dinner then."
Lysandra glared at him. After a moment, she answered. "Fine."
"No!" Batman said from behind her. "You will get out of that force field and let the adults deal with this!"
Lysandra laughed without humor at his words. Clearly the man didn't find humor in it either because his voice went dangerously low. "What's so funny about?"
Without looking back, Lysandra gritted the words out. "….I hasn't been a kid ever since the day my mother was gone."
Her words seemed to stun him somehow, because nothing came out of his mouth after that. She took that opportunity to turn her attention back to the Cyclops. "I'll leave my weapons and armors here on two conditions…."
His eye narrowed but didn't stop her from voicing them.
"First, this belt stays." She gripped Tim's utility belt that still strapped across her shoulder, now stained with dark red spots. The Gorgon blood that Ares had given her would help Tim heal faster. And he would need it to get out of there alive.
The Cyclops eyed the belt for a minute as if assessing its threat. "And the second one?"
"The remaining residents inside the building. I want them out. All of them." Clearly, that wasn't what the Cyclops wanted because he didn't look please at all. But she wasn't going to back down with this. So she pressed harder. "Swear to the River Styx you will let all fifty three of them out and I will drop my armors, my weapon and go meet those psychotic witches."
"You don't seem to know your place, mortal—"
"Oh, I do." Lysandra gave him another chin lift, this time with a taunting smile. "…Look around you, Cyclops." She tilted her head toward the lobby. "Don't you see what left of your brethren? I don't have to do anything those bitches want. I am not here to play a game, theirs or yours. I would be happy to cut your head off, send you straight back to Hades. So, test me. Go. Ahead."
His one eye staring at her as if she had lost her mind. Lysandra only glared back haughtily. Behind her, she could hear Batman barked something through the force field, but she didn't glance back. The staring contest only lasted a few minutes, finally the Cyclops's mouth curved up in annoyance. "So be it. I swear to River Styx I will release the humans inside. All of them if you left your armors and weapons here. There! Now take them off, Halfling!"
"Not until they're out." Lysandra said calmly.
"No wa—"
"Now, Cyclops. You wouldn't want your mistresses to wait long, would you? I heard they're testy lately after one of their siblings got blew to pieces….by me." That wasn't all true. Steve was the one who blew up their apartment along with the red head Empousa but for now he didn't need to know that.
Lysandra sheathed her swords and crossed her arms. "So….what do you say, Cyclops?"
She smirked when the Cyclops's eye twitched one more time before he pivoted and walked back to elevator.
Bruce felt the need to punch a hole in a wall, preferably this force field so he could get in and drag her butt out and locked her in the room until she turned twenty five.
What a stubborn kid!
"Wonder where she gets that from, huh?" Dick said from behind, making Bruce realized he'd said it out loud and decided maybe his former protégé's face might make a better target practice.
With his eyes fixed at the girl's back while she was having somewhat a conversation of sort with the large and clearly bad man. They had moved away from his hearing distant. The first time Bruce set his eyes on the man's face, he looked humanly normal but after a long minute there, his face began to blur away and his two eyes starting to morphed into one. And when the corner of his mouth turned up, edge of sharp teeth peeked out for him to see. Bruce realized the tall man was a mythology monster called Cyclops, was known for their cunning and murderous tendencies. Obviously not a person his daughter supposed to be chatting up in a close proximity! And she obviously ignoring him on purpose!
Forced his face to be as expressionless as possible he asked Dick. "You took care of The commissioner?"
"All done. He had SCU doing the crowd control as we speak. They will keep the media and bystanders as far from the building as possible.….." Dick answered then starting to trial off.
"Where is Zatanna?"
"umm….About that…."
efore Dick had a chance to reply, someone in the crowds squealed. "Oh my god! It's Superman!"
And the flash from the media exploded from behind him again. Bruce mentally cursed as he clenched his teeth. His famous colleague swooped down and landed by Dick, ignoring the adoring fans who screaming his name from behind the police barricades.
"I saw the news—"
"Get out of my city."
"But I'm here to help."
"Only thing that will help me is that for you to destroy that magical force field…." Bruce pivoted around and pointed his finger toward the barrier. "But you are vulnerable to magic so obviously you cannot. So I do not need you in my city. I need Zatanna here."
"Superboy is picking her up from her show in Vegas, they should be here any minute." He stepped closer and clapped his hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Come one, Bruce. You don't need to do this alone. Diana was my friend too."
Bruce clenched his teeth and tried to twist his body away from his friend's hand but it fell away before when Superman looked beyond the barrier and saw the girl inside. Bruce noticed his friend's jaw was dropping open.
"Lord, she does look like Diana. Although, not as tall…" He trailed off and suddenly frowned. "…..You still have people inside that building?"
"Yes. But I have it under control—"
"She's making a deal." Superman said, still frowning. "The man wants her to leave armor and weapons in exchange for the remaining residents."
"What?!"
Bruce swung his gaze back to the girl inside, she'd sheathed her swords. The Cyclops gave her evil look before pivot away from her, stomping his feet back to the elevator. She didn't turn back to them. The minutes dragged along slowly. And the elevator open again. People spilled out from it, every one of them had horrified look on their faces as they ran through the bloody lobby, one woman slipped on the gore she screamed in horror before scramble to her feet and continued to run toward them. No one didn't seem to pay any attention to the girl standing there in the middle of their ways.
"Get paramedics here! Hostages are being release!" Bruce turned around and barked. It seemed Dick was already on it. When the first hostage- a middle age man zoomed pass the barrier. He came to a halt, his face blank then he blinked in confusion when the paramedic covered him with a blanket.
"What…..what happened?" He asked.
"Please come this way, sir. I'll check for any injuries." The Paramedic kept his face neutral and he push the man toward the ambulance. He glanced toward Bruce but didn't say anything before went back to do his work.
"You will fine, miss." Bruce heard his friend helped covered the woman who had slipped in the lobby with the same kind blanket the paramedics had been handing out to the released hostages.
The woman's clothes and knees where stained with dark red smudges, she looked down at her hands and saw the same crimson mess. Her face paled. "Oh my god! Why am I cover in blood!?"
Clark squeezed her shoulder in assuring gesture before rushed her toward one of the paramedics. "Everything will be alright. You're safe now. This paramedic will check your knees for the cut you got from slipping. You will be fine, miss."
Her lips trembled but she nodded as she was ushered away.
"They didn't seem to remember what was going on." Clark pointed out the obvious.
"Maybe it was better if they didn't." He muttered under his breath. He knew his friend'd heard what it said because of his super hearing even though Clark didn't say anything. He just busy himself with helping the paramedics distributed more blankets to more clueless hostages that running out from the elevator.
As he counted the number of the hostages, Bruce casted his gaze to his daughter who stood still in the same place. No one had noticed or even pay attention to her presence. Until the last bash of people came rushing out from the elevator, one of them was a little girl whose eyes were covered with her mother's hand. Preventing her to see the blood and gore that littered on the lobby. Even though the corpses had started to decay and turning gray instead of dark red. But the little girl didn't seem too happy from being deprived of her vision, she fought to pry her mother hand away from her face and when she finally succeeded. Bruce noticed that her gaze fall on to Lysandra. She pointed and asked her mother something. The mother looked horrified, she didn't' answered but instead, half walking-half running out from the building. They passed through the barrier, which seemingly unseenable to them. Both of them blinked, confuse looks painted their face when the paramedics led them to check for injuries.
"They all looked like they had no idea what happened. Probably for the best." Clark said as if he'd read his mind and moved closer to him. Giving a knowing look Clark said again. "Look, I know you're pissed about Diana—"
Pissed is too small of a word, More like Enraged! Bruce gritted his teeth, didn't voice his opinion instead let his colleague continued. "—But after I checked the property owner and found out who it was, I have right to be here."
Clark was probably right. Bruce had Dick check who was the owner of this penthouse apartment and found out it belonged to LexCorps, he knew sooner or later Clark would put his nose in to places where it didn't belong—like Gotham City. Clark was about to continue with his speech, something caught their attentions.
"I am Vicki Vale and This is Gotham Now—" Familiar voice came from the sideline of the police barricades, A beautiful red hair gleamed from the camera spotlight belonged to the famous reporter, Vicki Vale—whom Lois once called "Her redhead copycat" holding her cordless microphone and continued the taping. "—I am at the scene of a possible hostage situation, our anonymous source said the perpetrators might be the famous Night Butcher whom responsible for the deaths of many young men in Gotham city. There's a speculation that the latest victim is our society-pages favorite, the Teen heart-throb in the making, second heir the Wayne Fortunes—Timothy Drake."
Bruce mentally cursed. Someone had leaked this information to the media but who? No one knew how Tim was abducted. But Miss Vale didn't seem to finish with her report.
"No confirmation had been issued by GCPD but as you can see, The Justice League had stepped in, Including our own Vigilante, the Batman—are here at the scene." She ducked under the yellow tape while nearby police officer wasn't looking, and marched up to Dick who was busy going back and forth helping the hostage. The Camera man was right by her heels.
"Here we have Nightwing who has work alongside Batman. Excuse me, Is it true that Timothy Drake is held hostage inside the building?" She shoved microphone into Dick's face, the Camera caught his deer-in-the-headlight expression for a few seconds before Dick straightened and said. "No comments, Miss Vale. And you're not allowed in this area. The nice officer will escort you and your crew back behind the tape now"
Dick gestured to the nearby officer before the camera crews were push out. They could hear Miss Vale screaming "Hey! You have no right to cut us out! Don't you touch me! Or I will sue the PD for Police Brutality!"
Bruce inwardly winced. Seemed like Miss Vale still determined to proof that Bruce Wayne was Batman and his associates were his wards. Dating her a while wasn't one of his smartest decisions, both Dick and Tim frowned at it, even though they didn't say anything. After he caught her snooping around his manor more than a few times Bruce decided it was enough playing this game and ended it. Miss Vale gave him grudging looks, seemed like he had ended the opportunity of a break in her career, the proof of The Famous Billionaire Playboy was leading a secret life of a Vigilante.
"Good Lord, That woman could make Lois cringe…." Clark muttered and shook his head. And that said a lot coming from a reporter himself. He looked up into the dark sky and turned back to Bruce. "Superboy is here with Zatanna."
Bruce lifted his gaze upward in the same direction, white, red and blue dot appeared at the horizon before it zoomed in fast. Less than a minute, his enhanced lenses were able to see a young man carrying his longtime associate, Zatanna, who didn't look happy with the transportation. As soon as Superboy landed, the magician almost jumped off him.
"Don't you carry me across the country ever again!" Zatanna huffed at him, pointing her finger.
"Anything for pretty lady!" Clark's half Kryptonian/half human son beamed back with brilliant smile, seemed to be oblivious to grudging look the magician was giving him.
"Look! It's Superboy! Markus are you getting this?!" Vicki Vale shoved at the Police officer again before marching to the new comer. All the while she talked to the camera. "Live from the hostage situation, I am Vicki Vale. Other members of Justice League had arrived, The famous Mistress of Magic, Zatanna and Junior member of the league, Superboy." She shoved microphone into the boy's face just like she did with Dick. "Excuse me, Superboy. What can you tell us about the situation inside? Why the league haven't been inside the building yet?"
The boy glanced their way for a second, Clark nodded at him something like a secret signal before he turned back to the reporter with a bright smile. "I'm so sorry, Miss Vale. I believe that information has not been confirmed. And I have no authorization to make any statements."
The reporter blinked at her second rejection but she bounced back fast by her next question. "Why are you wearing mark, when Superman himself has not? Are you afraid that your secret identity will be revealed?"
The kid turned his face fully to the camera and flashing another smile. "Of course. I'd like be somewhat mysterious. The ladies out there love mysterious men. How about we talk about my newest training session with Nightwing at the Watchtower?"
Superboy led both reporter and camera crews away from the scene. Bruce almost sighed with relief when he turned around and saw Zatanna examining the barrier.
She held her wand out and point at the barrier. "Ecrof Dlief Nwod!"
A white sparkle erupted but died only a second later with nothing change. She frowned and shook her head. "This is ancient magic. It cannot be canceled by merely casting a counter spell…." Her gloved hand touched the force field again. "Very powerful one and very dark magic. I'd say it required blood sacrifice for this. The main purpose is to keep people from outside in coming in."
"That's why the hostages can come out without any problems." Clark muttered and crossed his arms.
Thanks for stating the obvious. Bruce sniped in his mind and grounded his teeth before spoke again. "Robin is inside. We believe the serial killers are the one responsible."
Zatanna's eyes widened. "Oh Batman, I'm sorry…." She briefly touched his shoulder then moved away, went back to the barrier. And looked beyond the barrier at the girl inside. "Oh mine!..." She gasped and turned to Bruce. Her hand covered her mouth in disbelieve. "Is that….is that who I think it is?" Her gaze traveled back and frowned. "No, Diana is taller than that…..but…"
"Zatanna, can we focus on the barri—"
"Wow! Who's the hot chick?"
Bruce snapped his gaze to Superboy who sauntered back to them. His eyes fix on the girl inside the barrier. "Man, she's hot. Even a little too bloody…."
"Superboy." Clark warned. Probably heard his cracking knuckles. "You took care of the reporters?"
"Of course. Mom taught me well how to answers with really answering anything." He said proudly but his gaze still fixed on the girl inside. "She looks familiar in that get up….oh! She looks like Wonder Woman!" Then the boy frowned. "But her chest isn't the same size…."
"Excuse me?!" Bruce suddenly decided that the idea of shoving a piece of green kryptonite he had in his utility belt into the boy's eye sockets was pretty good.
"Yeah, definitely not the same size. Believe me, I got those bosoms memorized." Superboy nodded to himself. Bruce's hand inched closer to his pouch.
"Oh my god!" Zatanna gasped and turned to Bruce. "You and Diana…..Oh my god! I knew there was somethi—"
"Enough!"
That shut everyone up. But the moment of silence was broken less than a second later when Clark and his son turned back to the girl inside. Bruce and Zatanna followed their gaze. The tall man was back.
"Cyclops…" Zatanna whispered. And pulled out her smart phone before typing something furiously fast.
"Oh shoot!" Superboy said, eyes widened. Clark had solemn look across his face, Apparently they'd heard the conversation inside.
Bruce knew right away what was about to happened when he saw his daughter starting to take off the armors and threw her swords on the ground. He rushed to the barrier again. His fist slamming the shimmering force field. Bruce ignored the pain that shot up from his fist as he slammed it on the transparent wall. "Lysandra. Get out of there now! I will not let you risk your life like this!"
The Cyclops gave him an amused look. He said something to the girl, she tensed and paused taking off the last piece of armor before swung her gaze back. Her blue eyes were now again glowing blood red. Her expression was full of anger. She was wearing black leather pants and zipped up jacket underneath those heavy armors.
But before he could say anything else she threw the chest piece his way, he ducked with his reflex. It flew passed the force field and hit Suberboy's face so hard, he staggered backward. She hissed something he couldn't hear. She picked up Tim's utility belt before lifting her chin and marched toward the elevator with the Cyclops.
"Lysandra!" Bruce shouted and ramming his first against the force field again. But the girl didn't look back. The elevator slid close, leaving them with nothing but corpses that decaying faster than normal and the magical barrier in between.
"What did she say?" Bruce asked his friend, Clark gave him another solemn look. His blue eyes intensified, and his jaw clenched. Bruce repeated again. "What. Did. She. Say?"
"I think—"
"What did she say!?"
Clark looked away as if he couldn't bear to face him before muttered. "She said Risking her life was the only thing she ever knows since the day her mother was gone. The life you're not in it."
Pain slammed into him like he was hit by a truck. It lingered as if that truck decided to run over his body over and over. He couldn't decide which one hurt more, the fact that Diana was gone. Or that his daughter had rejected him with a reason he couldn't understand. The pain was equally bad to him. His heart that had been numb for so long was aching like it was the day he found out Diana had left him.
"I think I'm in love—" He heard Superboy sighed dreamily, not far away from him. Still clutching the chest piece like it was his life line, ignoring the gore that smeared on his blue and red uniform.
Something snapped in his brain, Bruce marched to the boy and snatched the armor away from his grip. Superboy gave him a startle look but before he could say anything, Zatanna shouted and their attention turned to her.
"Aha! Found it! Now it all made sense. The symbol, the Cyclops, the ancient magic…." She made fist pump at her success before turned to them, she showed then her phone. Bruce gritted his teeth and decided he would deal with Clark's son later and took the phone into his hand. Dick had finally joined them as well.
The screen showing an old stone altar, it was carved with three legs asterisk. Even time had damaged it but Bruce was sure if he connected the end of each legs he would draw a perfect triangle. It was the same symbol that was carved into the flesh of all victims they had recovered.
"I couldn't find it before because this is an ancient symbol. No one use it anymore." Zatanna said, her triumph look faded away quickly. "And this is a really bad news….."
"What is it?" Bruce asked almost impatiently.
"It represents the crossroad." She said but everyone gave her confused look, she clicked her tongue. "This symbol belonged to Goddess of Crossroads and all witchcraft." She paused but no one seemed to follow her. "This was the ancient symbol of cult of Hecate. Goddess of all magic, witchcraft, crossroads and necromancy."
"You said was." Dick asked.
Zatanna explained. "The cult of Hecate was….mostly eviscerated by Athena after the cult leaders thought it was funny to molest and kill Athena's priest on her altar at the Goddess's temple. The cultists were blasted away, gutted, tore apart by wild animals nobody was left alive but the three cult leaders….."
"Why? Shouldn't they were killed along with the rest? Since they were the one who actually caused the incident?" Clark pointed out.
"Athena couldn't kill them….." Zatanna shook her head.
"But wasn't she a goddess?" Dick frowned.
Something clicked inside Bruce head. "…..Because the cult leaders were also the gods?"
"Not quite. They were children of Hecate. The Empousai. Athena could only punished them and made them walk mortal world for eternity, only allow to take their nourishment once a month. In total twelve times a year."
"When you said nourishment…"
"Blood. They drank blood."
All the victims where drained dry of blood. Now it was all made sense to him. The symbol, the bloodless bodies. What he didn't get was why taking Tim in the first place? Why did they stole the artifacts at the museum? What did they want with his daughter?
Something fishy was going down, and Bruce knew the Gods were somewhat behind these.
He clenched his fist and returned the phone to Zatanna. "I don't care who they are. All I need is for you to break the force field. My protégé is in there…." My daughter is in there….
The mistress of Magic gave him uncertain look. "I tried. But this kind of witchcraft, as I suspect, It was stronger than the magic I've drawn from within myself. It's based from blood sacrificed. There's the only way to break this kind of barrier…."
"What is it?"
Zatanna looked away from him and said. "You have to take out the one that casted it."
Clark muttered. "Meaning you have to do it from inside…."
Bruce looked down at the chest plate in his clutching hand. It was stained with blood and gore, crimson color now turning to brownish. The dents and claw marks he saw, told him the fight earlier wasn't a child play, this piece of armor had done its job, protecting the wearer.
"….hope that girl knows what she's doing." He could hear Clark said.
"Oh, she knows what she's doing alright. You should see Robin's bloody nose she gave him when she got out of the handcuff." Dick snorted. "Not to mention the museum robbers. Three of them still in intensive cares"
Maybe that was his problem at the moment. The girl already knew too much violence.
"I can fly up there at the penthouse floor and see how many people are up there." Clark offered.
"I'm going to contact Sentinel of Magic. We might be able to find another way to break this barrier…." Zatanna said but uncertainty was clear in her voice.
His hand clenched tighter around the metal piece and looked beyond the barrier into the lobby. The Cyclope bodies already decomposed halfway the original process. Soon they'd turned to dusk.
No, he was wrong. The problem that plagued him worse than anything right now was that, for the first time in a very long time. He just didn't know what to do.
"You need to take those bracelets off, Halfling." The Cyclope said during the elevator ride up to the top floor.
She had stripped the armors and weapon away, that include her boots and the knives inside them. She was walking bare feet now.
Lysandra tilted her head and gave him an annoying glance. "I've been wearing them since I was a kid, never took them off. Let just say I don't know how."
It wasn't entirely true. She could, she just never tried it. But why telling this monster?
Before the Cyclops could say anything else, the elevator dinged, telling them they were at their stop. Lysandra gripped Tim's belt she strapped across her shoulder tighter. When the door slid opened the Cyclops nudged her a little too hard from the back. Making her stumbled forward on her bare feet into the foyer. More Cyclopes were lined up both sides.
But her eyes suddenly found the pillar right in front of her. Tim was chained there, only in boxer brief, his head slumped. Lysandra rushed forward to him. Ignoring hissing sounds coming from around her. But nobody stopped her.
She stopped in front of him, they were only a few inches away and she could see his chest rising and falling slowly.
Good. At least he's alive. She thought before examined the rest of his body.
Slashes and cuts were scattered across his body, Most were on his upper body. A flashback of Steve's bloody face rushed back into her mind making her breath caught. But Lysandra pushed it down. Her trembling hand moved on its own to touch his cut cheek, it was a little warm and the blood start to clot now.
Her touch made him whimpered. She noticed the fabric was stuffed in his mouth. Lysandra fought the tears, Another one was hurt because of her. She gently forced his mouth to open and pull the gag out, throwing it on the floor.
"…..s..an…dra…" Tim mumbled her name. Lysandra bit her bottom lips. And moved closer, pushing the matted hair out of his face and press the palm on his injured cheek.
"I'm here, Tim…" She whispered back. "…..I'm getting you out of here."
"Oh, look! How sweet!" A voice jerked her back to reality. Lysandra dropped her hand and stepped back from Tim.
The blond empousa stood there with hands on her hips, a sneer on her face. Her yellow sundress was bloody. Another empousa came into view, this one had dark hair and dark eyes. They both were pretty, or at least until the glamour broke. Then they horse-like faces were showing.
Lysandra lifted her chin and said. "I'm here. Now, let my friend go."
"Why? I haven't done playing with your mortal friend yet" The blond one said.
"Caroline." The dark hair one warned before turned back to Lysandra. "…..We will unchain him as promise." She gestured her hand and one of the Cyclopes stepped forward with a key.
With clicking sounds, the chains snapped opened and Tim's body slid down to the marble floor. Lysandra rushed to catch it. His body smacked to her and he groaned from the pain. He seemed to be coming around now. His eyelashes fluttered before opened, irises color of open sky looking back at her.
"…Hey…." He said weakly as she wrapped her arms around his bare torso, trying to support him.
Something caught in her throat. But she muttered back. "Hey."
"….We need to stop meeting like this…you know….bloody and all…." He chuckled.
Even with his condition, he was trying to joke around….
But before they could continue the conversation, someone yanked Tim away from here. He yelped in pain.
"Hey!" Lysandra yelled when one of the tall men half dragged/half carried him away. She turned to the witches. "You said you would let him go!"
The dark hair one arched a brow. "I said, we will unchain him. I didn't say a thing about letting him go, Halfling."
"You lying bitch!" Lysandra's vision turned red and she attacked, but before she could touch a hair on the witch's head, someone yanked her backward. She hissed and fought out of the hold. Laughter surrounding her.
The Cyclops held Tim by his throat. The blond empousa sashayed closer to them, her hand held nasty looking blade. It hovered close over Tim's jugular.
"You want him to live? Then surrender."
It won't fade until you surrender.
Ares's words ringing through her ears. So they knew Ares had branded her.
Lysandra fixed her gaze on the sharp blade at Tim's throat. He was shaking his head weakly, telling her not to do it causing the witch to press the blade into his flesh, it nigged his skin and blood seeping out. She clenched her fists. The bitch smirked, taunting her. "So what it's gonna be? His life or yours?"
There was only one thing she could do.
"Get your hands off me!" Lysandra hissed and twisted out of the cyclope's hold. She closed her eyes, gritting her teeth until her molars hurt.
Sometimes, losing was only way of winning. She remembered Artemis's words. Lysandra only hope her mentor was right.
She fell on to her knees and gritted the words out. "I surrender."
And just like that she could feel all the powers in her were sucked out of her body. There was no pain, just emptiness left inside a shell. The brand on her arm cooled down, she no longer felt it. War's gift had left her.
A blow to the head came without warning. Leaving her only pain as she fell backward from the impact. In distance she could hear Tim's voice. Tim yelling something. She tried to listen but another blow came, hitting her right in the gut. Knocking the breath out of her. Then next blow came, this time to the face. She could test blood in her mouth. Then someone grabbed her by the throat. Lifting her up in the air, her legs dangling. Blood dripping from the cut on her forehead, dripping into her eyes as she struggles to breath and getting away at the same time.
A face came into view. Yellow eyes glowing in front of her and the memory not so long ago flash into her mind. Panic crept in along with it.
"You killed my brother….." He said, a smile showing sharp teeth. "Now, I make you bleed."
With that he slammed her into the wall. Again and again.
Pain exploded. And she could hear Tim's yelling again.
"Enough! Chain her! We will drain her first, then you can have your fun later"
Her body was slammed again before something bit into her wristed and ankles. Lysandra fought the agonizing pain that ran throughout her body. She opened her eyes, even with the blood in her eyes, she could see another Cyclops had threw Tim into some kind of cage. The belt that was strap over her shoulder was ripped away and tossed inside there with Tim.
The dark hair Empousa moved into her view. A sneer on her face. "You killed our sister."
Lysandra spited blood in her face.
Her lips curved down as she swiped it off her face. "We shall drain you dry, your blood shall break the seals. Then I will let Eris play with your mortal. I wonder what she had in store for your little friend." She smirked. "…..Then we'll drink his blood before we cut his heart out. But don't worry, you will be alive to see all the fun we'd be having."
Lysandra spited blood in her face again. Eyes flashing with anger but the empousa only laughed and walked away. The blond moved closer to her instead. A psychotic smile on her face.
She lifted her blade hand. "Now let me hear you scream."
When she brought the blade down and stabbed Lysandra's right arm. She wasn't sure it was the witch laughter or her own scream that she heard.
Only thing she knew, the pain was only the beginning.
A/N :: *Gasps* Yes, I am that evil to end it like this. Please don't kill me, if y'all want to know what happened next! LOL
I will try to get the next chapter out in less time that this one. Let just hope my health keeps up and don't push me back down again.
Don't forget to Review and let me know what you think. I love to know your opinions. :) See you next chapter!