252. Break the Circle part 12
The subways shook.
Inside, the huddled citizens gasped and held each other.
Braced against the walls and the railroad tracks as dust fell and the lights flickered.
Earthquake tremors shook through the extensive, underground domain in cadence of a giant's footsteps.
People cried.
People screamed.
A roll of commotion echoed down the lengths of the tunnel.
Even some of the cops and military guards shifted about…apprehensive.
Renee held tightly to Daniel.
The husband gazed up at the shaking ceiling.
His eyes narrowed and he murmured under the tumult.
"What in God's name is going on up there?"
T-T-T-T-T-T-
SHOOO-OOOOOOOM!
SHOOOOOOM!
CRKKKKKK-KKKK!
More and more blazing comets fell.
All in all, nearly two dozen of the gigantic projectiles soared up from the gaping wound in Titan's Island and landed in the City.
Then—seemingly—as if the essences of Construction within the volcanic core were used up, the comets stopped falling.
But of the last of those that did fall….
CRKKKKKK!
CRKKKKKKKK!
Golden golems—five stories tall each—rose up from the craters.
The red sky of night above them danced from heat vapors as they flexed their gargantuan arms and stumbled forth through the streets of the City.
Cracking asphalt and concrete wherever their burning feet tread.
A couple of HINDs flew over them…perhaps in victory….perhaps in escort.
Dagger's army—now revitalized—ravaged the City once again from the inside out.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"Move! Move!"
"Make way!"
Escorted by a couple of police officers, Lieutenant Smith ran up a metal catwalk and onto the roof of a factory in the northern industrial district.
He walked across the rooftop between smokestacks and faced the southern half the City.
Two cops who were already there glanced back, nodded, and handed him a pair of electronic binoculars.
He took the viewfinder and gazed out, directly southward.
"When did this happen?" Smith uttered.
"Just minutes ago, sir. A couple of Dagger's helicopters flew towards Titans' Island. There was a grand explosion. Then nearly thirty more of those blazing projectiles flew out of the island and landed in the City."
"………," Smith's eyes narrowed.
Through the fuzzy nightvision of the viewfinder, she saw the blazing bodies of giant rock-monsters burning with every shift of their weight and lava-encrusted joints. The smaller, human-sized golems flanked their treading feet as the giants made their way towards the center of the City, attacking clusters of military forces at every turn.
"My God…..," Smith lowered the viewfinder. "Doesn't this sort of crap stay in Metropolis?"
"Not tonight, sir."
"……..," Smith stroked his chin. Attempting to keep calm….all the while gazing at the tempestuous site.
"Sir…..our orders are to stay put. The Army doesn't want us involved."
"Mmmmm……righto……"
A beat.
"……….," Smith gazed at his subordinates.
The police officers stared back at him.
A beat.
Smith smiled. "So? What are we waiting for?"
The officers immediately ran to their places.
"Start 'em up!"
From down below….
VRMMMMM---MMM!
T-T-T-T-T-T-
CRKKKKK!
A burning giant took one step.
U.S. jeeps and soldiers scattered and zoomed northward along Main Street.
Under the burning shadow.
Crying out shouts, orders, warnings.
Aiming up at the monster with their weapons.
CRKK-KKK!
The giant took another step.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT!
The soldiers fired directly upward from the jeeps and other vehicles.
The huge, five-story golem treaded over them.
It let loose illegible groaning and crackling sounds as puffs of flame and lava spurted from its limbs.
At one point, two grenades from a pair of soldiers along the sidewalk impacted the monster's foot.
POW!
BOOOM!
CRKKK-KKK! The beast slowly turned, pivoted its legs, and swung it out towards the men.
The two soldiers shouted and dove towards the side—
CRAAAAAAAAAAK! The building face shattered from the huge foot.
A wall of concrete and glass fell down, blanketing a good half of the Street.
Dust and debris scattered….filling the road with haze.
CRKKK!
The monster marched on, unhindered.
Buildings shook and rattled on either side as the colossus advanced.
While the U.S. Army personnel retreated under the shouts of General Calvin, the remaining forces of Dagger redoubled their forces.
Nefarious jeeps and Hummers gathered in cleared off, rubble-strewn sections of Downtown.
Illegal weapons were redistributed and the Daggerites sped off to waste away anything that still stood behind the path of the randomly stomping giants.
The smaller golems still ran and charged in any direction they spontaneously desired. At the first thermal signature of human life crossing their senses, they made a bee-line for the helpless soldier or two and rushed with murderous limbs flailing.
CRKKKKK!
What was once a solid defense force—taking the central districts of the City back from the invasionary force—was quickly withering away like a peeling onion.
T-T-T-T-T-T-
CRKKKKKKKKKKKK!
A five-foot monster marched in front of Bayside Plaza.
Two U.S. jeeps and a tank swiftly fled down the coastal road heading west along the Bay.
As the army tank went as fast as its treads could carry it, the turret spun around backwards and fired at the legs of the huge, burning beast.
BL-BLAM!
…..
POWWW!
The shell barely shattered the ankle of the huge automaton.
The five-story behemoth burned a flare of fire, rushed forward, and reached a hand down.
CRKKKK!
The tank was scooped up in a single lunge.
The beast crumpled it, set the clump of metal hotly ablaze, and tossed it limply towards the right.
TH-TH-THWISSSH! The 'tank' flip-flopped in the air, plummeted northward, and smashed straight through a gas station.
BOOOOOM! The place exploded in a burst of hot fire.
The jeeps sped away and the beast marched on.
T-T-T-T-T-T-
In the Eastern District.
The Shipyards.
A monstrous golem waded through the Atlantic.
Its burning exoskeleton caused the seawater to boil and exhale clouds of hot steam.
SSSSSSSssssss!
A company of soldiers stood firmly on the docksides besides their jeeps.
Together, the nearly three-dozen officers fired heavy artillery volleys into the body of the half-submerged creature.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
The exoskeleton of the creature simply deflected and/or melted the incoming bullets upon contact. Tiny, trivial flakes of burning ash flew and splashed off the shell of the thing.
As two men prepared to launch a bazooka…
The creature raised its arms---CRKKKK-KKK!—and brought them both slamming down into the waters on either side of its girth.
SPLOOOOO-OOOOOOSSSSSH!
A wall of sea came at the docks and shipyards.
Burning sea.
The men gasped and ran out of their jeeps.
The soldiers went fleeing towards the higher ground and concrete….
SPLOOOOSH!
The hot, boiling seawater cascaded over the wharfs and splashed hotly over the former defensive line of the now-absent officers. The jeeps hissed and billowed steam on contact. The tires popped and random explosives dropped ignited.
The shipyard became ablaze with fire and steam.
And the creature marched ashore, cutting a straight path.
Burning all it came in contact with.
T-T-T-T-T-T-
In the Western District, where the Suspension Bridge met the main land…
Calvin's forces were gathering at the northern base of the bridge.
Those that made it there performed a last stand against two five-story golems and their smaller brethren.
Armed with missiles and air support from three apaches, the military group launched explosive streams into the opposing force.
The projectiles converged on the two giants first. The fire from the exploding missiles wrapped about the incoming golems, cascading down to enflame their companions.
But the beasts merely absorbed it into their thermal cores and marched all the stronger—all the hotter—towards the spot of last resort.
And right as they started looming directly over the last contingent….
HINDs dove in and shot down one of the three apaches.
The two other U.S. aircraft swiftly came about and approached the aerial onslaught.
Soon the entire Western District was being skewered with hellseekers and high caliber machine gun rounds and flying ashes of thermal intensity.
T-T-T-T-T-T-
CRKKKK-KKKKK!
In the Downtown district, a huge golem sluggishly lurched past a six-story apartment building.
Robin perched on the rooftop, bracing himself as the stomping feet of the behemoth shook t.v. antennae and a/c units all around him.
Rattling….
He absorbed the sounds of shouting soldiers and burning engines from down below.
An enemy helicopter or two flew loudly over the Boy Wonder's head.
Robin ignored it.
He jumped up to his feet and ran from rooftop to rooftop.
Keeping parallel with the hulking monster.
STOMP!
ST-STOMP!
Robin panted and shouted in his communicator while jogging. "Noir! We've got trouble!"
T-T-T-T-T-T-
'Dagger's freaks are giving the General's forces a run for it! We can't let any more soldiers die!'
I panted…nodding.
I was blurring through the streets alongside the fleeing jeeps.
The feet of a monstrous oaf stomped and burned the asphalt behind me.
STOMP! STOMP!
The entire road shook and crumbled from the creature's infernal pace.
It was hard enough keeping my feet on the rumbling ground, much less streaking with murk like I was.
'Let's form up again! Meet me at the corner of Twentieth and Main! I see Calvin's company from here! Let's see if we can buy them some time!'
I nodded breathlessly to the air.
I twirled Myrkblade, glanced aside, and murked up the immediate building just as a hulking foot stomped where I previous was.
CRUNNNCH!
T-T-T-T-T-T-
Robin pocketed his communicator away.
He extended his bo-staff in one hand—snkkkt!—and whipped out a grappling hook in the other.
STOMP!
ST-STOMP!
The golem marched on firmly just ahead of the Boy Wonder.
Robin gritted his teeth, ran to his right, leapt off the edge of the rooftop, and dove directly over the 'crown' of the four-story, burning monster.
"Nnngh!" In mid-air, Robin dragged his bo-staff downward and dragged its end sharply across the forehead of the beast.
CLNKKKK-KKKKKK!
Sparks flew.
The beast shook its 'head'.
It stopped where it was momentarily.
Robin kicked his feet off the monster's forehead and landed on its shoulder.
CRKKKKKK! Disoriented, the creature flailed its limb.
FWOOOOSSSH!
Robin positioned himself and kicked his legs just as the forearm he perched on launched him upwards.
The Boy Wonder flipped through the air, twirled, came back down, and fired a grappling hook straight at the monster's head.
POW!
CL-CLANK!
The hook embedded into its skull.
CRKKKKK-KKKK!
The monster swung its burning hands to swat Robin.
The Boy Wonder held his breath, agilely dodged the creature in mid-descent, and tightly held onto the grappling hook as he met the monster's shoulders again with his feet and ran…ran….ran….ran a spiraling path around the creature's body. Robin thusly wrapped his grappling hook cord around the creature like a merry pole and leapt off as he reached huge-ankle level.
Fw-Fwoosh! Robin landed in a reverse slide down the center of Main Street.
CRKKKK-KKKK-KKKK! The creature thrashed, struggled, and fought to pop itself free of the ensnaring, wraparound cord.
Robin gritted his teeth, whipped out an explosive birdarang—chiiiing!—and aimed at the behemoth's forehead from down below.
Half of his eyemask 'squinted'.
"Keep….your pretty face….still…..," Robin mumbled.
CRKKK-KKKK……CRKKKKKK! The beast suddenly lurched back, lost its glow of gold for a second, then flared back up with a huge outburst of flames that ruptured everywhere and melted the cord into flying ashes.
FWOOOOOMB!
"Aaaugh!" Robin was blown back by a heated concussion blast. TH-THRUMP! He landed in a pile of jeep debris. "Ugh!"
The giant monster pulsed hotly.
It flexed its limbs…loomed over the Boy Wonder…and raised its right arm to slam down on him.
Wincing, Robin braced himself for the worst—
FWOOOOOOSH! I leapt murkingly into the scene.
I perched on the creature's arm, twirled Myrkblade, and stabbed the smoke-enveloped sword into the rocky gut.
CRAAAAAK!
The monster flailed and shook its limbs.
I stuck on with Myrkblade stabbing a good half-meter into the monster's limb.
Robin looked up, catching his breath.
He struggled for a second…then jumped to his feet.
My black eyes flickered smoke and my sword pumped waves of murk into the heated skeleton of the monster as it tried in vain to toss me off.
I gasped…the Construction waves were overwhelming.
I felt my black optics flickering.
A hint of crimson—
FL-FLASSSSH! The arm pulsed and exploded in black fury.
PPPPOWWWW!
I lurched back—panting—balancing precariously on the monster's lava-leaking shoulder.
Whoah……
D-Did you see that, Ana---?
SMACCCK! The monster bitch-slapped me off its forearm.
I shot out into the air, flailing.
Wincing.
Son of a---
WHAM!
I slapped into a glass building front and slid down till I landed with a bounce on an awning.
The creature burned, shot flame out of its leaking limb, and marched menacingly towards me. CRKKKK-KKKK!
I bit my lip.
Before the creature could take so much as a second step….
SWISSSSSSSSSSSH-FLASSSH!
VROMMMM! VROMMMMMMMM!
The creature jerked to a huge, hulking stop.
Its torso wriggled around and it billowed flame in protest.
"……..?" I glanced down.
Two huge chunks of ice glued the monster's feet to the road where Robin's ice discs had made contact.
"YAAAAAAAGH!" The Titan Leader in question was presently swinging down by yet another grappling hook and slamming his feet into the chest of the five-story monstrosity.
SLAPPP!
Sparks flew from the Boy Wonder's boots' contact with the heated chest of rock.
The monster groaned, flailed, and teetered back.
SWOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSH-SLAMMMMM!
The entire Main Street shook.
Cracks formed in the windows of the nearest buildings.
A fire hydrant or two loosened from the impact wave and spewed water everywhere.
The huge, burning monster burned and thrashed and boiled…
But for the infernal life of it, the giant thing could not get back up.
Heh.
That's a plus.
I stood up and dropped down from the awning with a cushion of murk.
Robin panted and prepared an explosive disc to fling onto the prone creature when---
FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOOOSSSH!
We both looked up, standing side by side.
Two apaches were soaring between the buildings of the Main Street.
Robin waved his arms and shouted. Tumult. "Hey! HEY!"
I added a shrill whistle for good measure.
One of the apaches slowed.
The other hovered to a mid-air stop also in turn.
Robin pointed at the beast and gestured: "Sitting duck right here!"
That said, Robin hopped back and motioned me along with him.
I swiftly darted to the sidewalk and crouched behind the Boy Wonder.
The two of us watched patiently as the two apaches hovered apart, took positions in the air, and started pelting…pummeling…and shattering the monster in all its weak spots using steady bursts of high caliber gattling gun fire.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
CRKKKKKKKK-KKKKKKKKKK! The fallen monster flailed and shook as its helpless body was wrenched in two by the thick stream of lead. Its torso ate away and burst into flames as the heat poured out into the red air and sucked the golden glow up out of the lower limbs of the beast.
Robin and I watched our enemy peel apart.
"W-Well…," the Boy Wonder gulped and looked at me. A sweating, nervous smile. "Only a-about twenty-three of them left!"
I simpered….
VRMMMMMMMM!
The two of us gasped.
We spun around.
A company of jeeps burned down the road and came to a dead stop where we and the dead monster blocked the path.
The first jeep carried General Calvin. He stood up, waved a fist, and shouted: "What are you doing, blocking the damn road!"
"Sir!" Robin shouted and pointed at the monstrosity that the apaches were finishing off. "We're killing one of the monsters!"
"And what do you think we've been running the Hell away from!" Calvin shouted and pointed over his shoulder.
ST-STOMP! ST-STOMP! STOMPPPPP!
Two—count 'em—two beasts of five-story burning strength marched around the street corner and took up the rear behind the stand-still company of Calvin's soldiers and their jeeps.
The thirty-or-so soldiers—Robin and I and the General included—were now locked between the dead, steaming body of the apache-punished golem and the two fresh behemoths taking up the rear.
Trapped.
CRKKKKK-KKKKKK!
The soldiers shouted and rushed to load the jeeps' mounted guns for an emergency stand.
Robin panted.
He looked at the apaches.
He looked at the monsters.
He ran out into the middle of the street, waved his arms, and shouted: "HEY! HEEEEY!" He pointed at the two monsters. "Keep them busy!"
FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOOSSSH! The two helicopters hovered up and started unleashing missiles and machine gun fire on the colossuses.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
PFTOOOOOOOSH! BL-BLAMM!
The two giants flailed and fought back the flames and weapon fire.
Robin ran towards the ashen remains of the destroyed beast ahead of the stranded company and started smashing, thrashing, and cracking the dull granite apart with his bo-staff.
"Hraaaugh!"
CRKKKK!
"YAAAUGH!"
THWACKK!
"I think I see the kid's idea!" Calvin pointed. "Clear the way!"
VRMMM-MMMM!
Three jeeps roared ahead.
The men with the mounted guns in the back shot past Robin.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
RAT-A-TAT-TAT!
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
The combined machine gun fire shattered the dull rock into crumbling debris.
A path was being blown away from the combined effort of Robin's bo-staff and the jeeps' weaponry.
All the while, the apaches used up a good half of their ammo on the two monsters to the rear of the military contingent.
But not for long…
I panted….gripping Myrkblade strongly by the hilt and considering my options.
Robin definitely needs help clearing the path.
I have the Spectral powers needed to assist in speedily smashing the rocky remains apart.
Helping out is the rational thing to do.
But………
I glanced back at the two monsters.
In spite of the apaches' punishment, the beasts started to tear their heated…frothing way towards the jeeps and Calvin's men inside.
Only a few seconds, and they'd be stomping on helpless soldiers' bodies.
Robin and the others weren't about to punch a path through in time.
Since when did I ever do the 'rational' thing, Ana?
I gritted my teeth.
FWOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSH! I blurred madly towards the monsters.
Robin looked over his shoulder, sweated, and momentarily stopped thrashing a path through the stony crags. "Noir! WAIT!"
I streaked straight down the 'aisle' of concrete formed between the stranded jeeps.
Mutely screaming, I rushed the first of the two beasts, streaked up its leg…ribcage….shoulder….and leapt off its neck.
TH-THWISSSH! I flipped in mid-air.
Robin watched breathlessly.
General Calvin turned to look….
Thwooooosh-Plant! I landed on the crown of the first monster. I snarled and stabbed Myrkblade straight down into the flaming 'skull'.
CRACK!
The monster snarled and exhaled flames up…up…up its body.
I stuck Myrkblade deep into its head and formed a proximity shield of smoke.
FWOOOOSSSH! I blocked off the flames from rupturing into me.
I panted and forced Myrkblade down deeper….deeper…..digging into the monster's fiery innards.
I could feel the lava and flame spewing inside at the contact of my smoke-covered blade.
CRKKKK-KKKKKKKKK!
I gritted my teeth. Sweating from the hellish fumes. Gripping the hilt tighter and concentrating…concentrating….
Construction………
"Noir!" Robin ran halfway to the beast and flailed his gloved hands. "Get off that! You hear me? That's an order!"
Not Now, Robin……
"I don't want you dying on me!"
Let the Equalizer do his duty………
I closed my black eyes.
I tilted my head back as the fumes of the giant monster's head I was slicing billowed up around me.
Okay, Ana.
It worked with Terra.
Now……show me again……
Show me just what sort of power I'm dealing with here.
CRKKKKKK-KKKKKKK!
I kept Myrkblade in place.
Becoming one with the sword……with a billowing curtain of black.
I hissed and clenched my obsidian optics shut tighter.
My teeth showed…..
Yes……
Yes………
Teach me some of those old tricks, Ana.
Now would be a good time………
"………….."
My black eyes flew open.
They flickered RED.
Robin did a double-take.
Back to BLACK.
AAAAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!
FWOOOOOSSSSSSH!
I teleported downward into the monster, through the hole in its head.
And….
CRNCH-CRNCH-CRNCH-CRNCH-CRNCH-CRNCH!....
A series of red-colored explosions splashed straight down through the invisible 'spine' of the monster and---
CRAAAAA-AAAAACKKK!
I exploded out between the legs of the beast and landed in a materialized splash of black—laced with fading red—on the ash-laden asphalt.
FWOOOOOSSSH!
I shuddered where I stood, Myrkblade still pointed down…earthward.
Smoking with both heat and spectral energy.
"………………….."
A beat.
CRKKKKK-KKKKKKTTTT-TTT! The monster split in two halves and collapsed loudly on either side of me. FWOOOMPPP!
"………," Robin blinked.
"We're through!" Calvin shouted. He motioned towards the fresh path in the fallen rock-debris as his jeep drove on through.
The soldiers cheered and followed swiftly behind.
The apaches lifted up and flew to the far side of the rumbling City to assist with other battling contingents.
In the meantime, the last five-story monster standing teetered about from the last of the helicopters' punishment.
It regained its footing and marched towards us.
STOMP! ST-STOMP!
I stood limply in its path.
"…….."
I exhaled and fell down—
Clutch!
Robin grabbed me.
"Hang on….," he dragged me by the shoulders to the last of the jeeps to take off. The soldiers helped him toss me aboard as he himself hopped on and we were on our speedy way.
VRMMMMMM!
The monster stomped through empty space….lingering behind the escaping forces.
I gasped….sweating….catching my breath.
While riding in the back, a similarly breathless Robin looked over and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Are you going to live?"
"…….," I gulped and shakily nodded.
"Good. Cuz I'm gonna kill you later."
I smiled nervously.
Robin leaned on his bo-staff and all but fainted for oxygen. "Nnnngh…..god….where are the others?"
I'm thinking the same thing.
I looked at my flesh and black fingers.
Dark smoke still lingered on the end of my digits.
"………………"
I gazed up skyward.
Red.
T-T-T-T-T-T-
Inside a Hummer piloted by Dagger's thugs…
The fiends drove the vehicle to a stop along a stretch of Main Street.
They stared out the front windshield and watched as the U.S. Army retreated.
Dozens of small golems gave chase, along with a handful of stomping…towering giants of burning flame.
The passenger looked at the driver. "That did it. They're on the run."
"The second phase did the trick," the driver nodded. "This is worth a report to Dagger."
"Dagger hasn't been responding to any comm signals as of late," the passenger remarked. "The same goes with Jones and Corbin. I think they're busily engaged with the enemy!"
"Or the Parasite."
"Perhaps."
"Never the matter," the driver gestured: "Patch a call to the other vehicle divisions. As soon as we've re-captured the Downtown Districts, we're launching explosive charges into the subways. That's where the people must be."
"Per Dagger's plans, right?"
"But of course. Get with it."
"Yes sir."
But just as the passenger began patching a radio signal through—
"Aaah!" the mounted gunners atop the rear of the hummer screamed. "Aaaugh-" TH-THUMP!
The driver and passenger in the front compartment tensed.
They gazed out the side windows.
THWOOOSH!
FWOOSH!
The bodies of the two gunners were tossed like ragdolls off the vehicle.
The passenger gasped.
The driver's eyes narrowed. "What the--?"
TH-THWOMP!
The whole vehicle lurched.
Both thugs exchanged glances.
"Th-There's something on us!"
"You think?.?.?"
"Could it be one of the rock creatures?"
"Hell no," The driver snarled. "Jace made sure that—"
CRKKK! A fist-shaped dent pounded inward from the ceiling.
The Passenger shrieked and whipped out a gun, shrinking away from the ruptured ceiling. "What in the Hell—?"
CRAAAAK! The top of the Hummer ripped open. A hairy, thick-muscled hand reached down and grabbed the passenger by the neck.
"AAAAA-!"
With a snorting grunt, the hand retracted and tossed the man helplessly down the street.
"Shit!" the driver whipped out his own pistol and aimed up through the hole. "Get away, you freak!"
The red-laced silhouette of a horned crown disappeared, and in its place a youthful face appeared.
"…..," the driver blinked. "The Hell? A boy?"
A wave. Two pulsing eyes of GREEN
CONTACT.
FLAAAAASH!
T-T-T-T-T-T-
"RAAAAAUGH!" Starfire flung her fist into Metallo's chest.
CLAAAANG!
Metallo slid back across the tall skyscraper's rooftop.
He snarled and brought his elbow up to block another of the Tamaranian's blows.
THAP!
He kicked his leg out.
SMACK!
Starfire stumbled back.
"NNGHHH!" Metallo dove with a flying, titanium fist.
THWOOOOOSSH!
Starfire merely backflipped and hovered in the air.
Metallo came down—fist first—and smashed a hole in the rooftop.
CRUNNNCH!
Starfire sneered and soared at him, flinging green-pulsing fists at the man's torso. "Haaugh! Haaugh! HAAUGH! HAAAUGH!"
Metallo blocked-blocked-blocked-blocked-blocked-GRABBED Starfire's wrist.
SNATCH!
Starfire gasped.
The android growled, yanked her towards him, and prepared to head butt her.
She swiftly brought her other hand up and grasped her palm over his robotic eyes.
SWOOOOSH-CLANK!
"Mmmmmf!" Metallo struggled with her fingers wrapped about his face. "I am so gonna rip you a new—"
Starfire snarled and: "YAAAUGH!"
FLAAASH! A starbolt exploded point-blanc in his electric eyes.
"AAAAUGH!" he short circuited all over and hobbled back to the rooftop's edge from her blast, clutching his sparking skull. "Nnnngh! Raaaugh! M-My neural networks!"
Starfire dug her feet into the rooftop gravel and raised her fists. "I would worry about your soul if I were you. NNNGH!" she charged him.
He shook his head, flickered his shattered eyes a dull gray and flung his arms open. "You rotten…alien bitch!"
SWOOOOSH-CLAMP! He caught her in two hulking arms.
She gasped and struggled in his titanium grasp. "Nnnngh! Mmmnngh!"
He snarled and squeeeeeeeeeeezed her waist and upper pelvis in a death grip.
"Nnnngh-AAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaugh!" Starfire shrieked.
"Heh heh heh….You can forget having any bloody children by the time I'm done with you, freak!"
She teared and twitched from the crushing pain on all sides.
FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOOOOSSSH!
The sound of a HIND chasing jeeps and tanks in the lower streets sounded in Metallo's electronic ears.
He 'smiled' and turned his head towards the edge of the building. "Or better yet…."
FWOOOSH!
Starfire gasped and dangled as Metallo held her body over the rooftop's side…just above an incoming HIND with its wide rotary blades beating madly at the air.
Metallo shouted gaily above the noise. "You can forget having any bloody breath! Red Aviary be damned! HA!"
"……..," Starfire clenched her teeth and tensed her body. The girl's eyes burned a hot green as she sneered: "The damnation shall be yours to experience, m'niel snarfarker!" She kicked her legs out straight into the joints of his titanium knees.
WHUMP!
"AAUGH!" Metallo shouted. Lost his footing. And teetered---
FWOOOOOSSSH!
The two plunged over the rooftop.
From above, they could be seen plummeting straight down into the huge beating blades of the speeding HIND.
FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOOSSSH!
In mid-air, Starfire struggled.
But Metallo laughed, got the better grip of her, and shoved her straight down into the middle of the spinning blades. "Ha ha ha! Stupid bitch! Guess I'll enjoy hands-on you becoming extraterrestrial sushi—"
She pivoted her head about, sneered, and shot a pair of green optic blasts point blanc into his metal shoulder.
ZAAA-AAAAAAP! SSSssssss-SNAP! Metallo's right arm melted clean off.
"AAA-AAAAUGH!" He electronically screamed.
"NNNNGHHH!" Starfire screamed and twirled their bodies so that Metallo's mangled form flew straight into the rotary blades first. "TASTE ANNIHILATION!"
"NOOOOO---"
SMAAAASSSSSSSSSSSH!.!.!.!.!
The two plunged straight through the HIND….smashing through the bulls-eye of the rotary blades. Starfire flinched and used Metallo's burning body as a shield that absorbed the impact and sent the debris splashing around but not touching her. As they plummeted down the building-flanked streets, HIND parts and black blade-shrapnel flew everywhere in a burning splash. Windows and buildingfronts shattered. And the asphalt earth grew closer…closer…closer—
POWWWW!
Starfire slammed Metallo straight into the ground, forming a crater.
CRUNNNNCCCCH!
His burning body twitched and gurgled electronically.
Starfire gasped once, glanced up, and saw a mountain of burning helicopter-and-building parts flying down at her.
She briskly skirted off to the side in a streak of green.
Metallo had one last shout as—
SLAMMMMMMM! He was covered by a mountain of burning, frothing debris. Silenced.
"……….," Starfire stood on the sidelines, clutching her side. Gently breathing. "……."
Swoooooosh! Cl-Clank! Metallo's right arm fell and clattered on the ground before her. Short-circuiting. Sparking….twitching…
"……..," the alien girl merely frowned at it.
FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOOOSSSSH!
She looked up.
A HIND was chasing an apache through the claustrophobic streets and building-spaces.
The sounds of battles and stomping, thermal monsters echoed throughout the rest of the urban domain.
Starfire took a deep breath and flew up to give chase after Dagger's airforce.
SWOOOOOSSSH!
Leaving the burning pile…
And the buried Metallo behind.
T-T-T-T-T-T-
VRMMMMMM!
The jeep that Robin and I were on veered along the convoy, winding around street corners and screeching to avoid debris and random falling shards from the shredded buildingtops above us.
Our jeep sped up, zoomed around debris and scattered rubble, and caught up with General Calvin's vehicle.
The commander in chief held a hand up as we reached a clear intersection.
All of the vehicles came to a swift stop…motors ambling in a cicada-like-cadence together.
Calvin stood up in his seat and looked North….East….South…and West where all avenues led.
It was the clearest towards the North.
But to the West, a thick cluster of golems had gathered and were swiftly ganging up on a group of U.S. tanks.
They most certainly needed our assistance, but so did the contingent of jeeps fleeing from HINDs to the East….and soldiers shooting back at three giant golems to the South.
"Where to now, sir?"
Calvin took a deep breath. "This is just the shit I don't want to be marinating in right now."
Robin stood up. "General, sir. The other Titans are unaccounted for—as far as my partner and I are concerned, at least. I'm afraid that—as long as we're split up—we won't be able to assist like we would like to. All we can do is protect you at the moment."
"Yeah, well that ain't doing squat for the City!"
"We're quite aware of that, sir."
Calvin's fists clenched.
I shuddered and sat up….my strength slowly returning.
"General….," Robin leaned forward as the tense, huddled soldiers listened. "The City is lost at the moment. We must regroup. And right now, the last line of defense appears to be at the Bridge. If we go there and push back the forces of Dagger…we might be able to swing back and push another attack."
"I know….," Calvin grumbled. "But I've got so many of my boys stuck out there—" He pointed generally towards the rest of the City."
I whistled.
Robin looked at me.
I hand-signed.
He nodded. He looked at the General. "Noir and I will see to them getting back safely. I suggest you regroup with your forces in the southwest while we—"
"Yeah yeah…gotcha, young man," Calvin nodded. "You hear that, boys? We're gonna take out the rear of the punks assaulting our friends at the Bridge! We must move swiftly! The first element of surprise is gone…now we must make a new one! Or else the City is lost!"
"Sir! Yes, sir!"
"Let's get a move on!"
VRMMMMM!
The jeeps came to life once more.
Sweating, Calvin looked at us again. "You kids don't lose your heads, you hear me?"
Robin and I hopped to the streets.
"We'll make them lose a good few of theirs before the night's over, sir."
"Damn straight. LET'S BURN!"
VRMMMMMMM!
The jeeps tore off towards the West.
Robin and I spun and jogged our way towards the middle of the City.
"Noir….you and I must keep focused…," Robin breathlessly coached. "The Titans could be anywhere. Alive. Dead. That's not certain. What IS certain is that this City is doomed unless we give it the gung-ho. Let's kick ass like our friends are right beside us!"
I took a deep breath, nodding.
You heard that, Ana?
Right beside me……
CHIIIIING!
I began blurring.
In mid-stride, Robin gazed up towards the red heavens.
For something was missing.
And it took his shuddering breath away.
"Where are you…..Slade?"
Silence.
"I'm here……..what….or who….are you waiting for?"
And Robin ran ahead…doing his best to catch up with me.
T-T-T-T-T-T-
VRMMMMMMMMM!
Calvin's jeep led the charge westward.
Ahead, the spires of the Suspension Bridge loomed.
Two large golems and a throng of Daggerite thugs were swarming around the last stand and assaulting the U.S. Army men and women in defense.
"Let 'em have it for all it's worth!" Calvin shouted. "Take out those smaller glowing pieces of crap first! Then we'll focus on the terrorists and combine our firepower with our artillery to take out those two big creeps before they get to the Bridge!"
"But sir!" another soldier in the jeep pointed ahead. "Look! The rock monsters are being wasted!"
Calvin's jaw dropped. "What?"
"Something's wiping them out, sir!"
Indeed, as the jeeps drew closer…
General Calvin could squint his eyes and see a swarm of thick, muscular forms bounding up from the waters' edge…
….and smashing the opposition to bits.
"They're clearing the way! They're giving our buddies some breathing room!"
"……….," Calvin gaped. "………..the Sam Hell?"
T-T-T-T-T-T-
Robin and I could both hear the sounds of battle from the street just beyond the nearest throng of buildings.
We counted at least four sets of military assault guns….on our side.
Robin glanced across at me where we both sprinted.
"Sounds like this is where we get off!"
I took a deep breath.
He pulled out a grappling hook. "Meet you on the other side—"
Grip!
"…..?" he looked.
I gripped his cape by a black hand.
Save it for later.
FWOOOOOOOSSSH! Tugging Robin, I murked right.
"Aaaaaaaaugh!" he flailed.
In black-trailing streaks, I rushed us up the face of the building, around the top, and leaping out across the street to a murking slide down the opposite buildingside and into the sidewalk of the thunderous street beyond.
Pl-Plant!
The two of us landed. I let go of Robin's cape.
"…………….," he blinked where he stood. "That works."
I shrugged.
CRKKKKK!
We both looked right.
We gasped—
CRKKKKKKKKKKK!
A solid line of golden-burning golems marched firmly towards us.
They spat lava 'bullets' at us, flaming and cooking the air.
Robin deflected with his bo-staff. TH-THWISSSH! CLANG!
I murked down the opposite end of the street.
Robin came after me.
The golem crowd was too thick for the two of us to take on by ourselves.
We needed….
"Whoah! Who's that?"
"T-Titans! Robin and Noir!"
Five jeeps and over two-dozen U.S. soldiers stood in a cluster besides a fallen buildingside. A group of shirtless soldiers were busily, sweatingly going about the task of setting up explosive charges to blow themselves and their jeeps a path through the collapsed rubble.
The four gunmen atop the jeeps were taking pot-shots at the golems, trying to push them back and slow their advance.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
RAT-A-TAT-TAT!
"What's going on here?" Robin shouted above the bulletfire. "You can't get through?"
"This City's nothing but dead ends!" one soldier shouted. "But we're just about to blow our way through! Care to cover us, Robin?"
Snktt! Thw-Thwissh! Robin twirled his bo-staff. "Need you ask?"
The soldier smirked. "Right….." Cl-Clak! He cocked his pistol and joined the line of fire. "See what you can do! My men and I will focus our fire on the center of the crowd if you and Smokey there can distract the flanks into the damage zone!"
"Sounds like a plan!"
"That should hold them off for us to make a new door!"
"When it comes to moving mountains….that's Titans' work," Robin panted. He motioned at me. "Take the North Side!"
I nodded.
He ran towards the southern sidewalk.
"And Robin?" the soldier shouted.
The Boy Wonder glanced back.
The soldier smirked. "Nice to see you alive."
Robin nodded. "It'll be nicer if we get to work and keep that true."
"Heheh….damn skippy!"
"Noir! Go!" Robin shouted, gloved finger flung forward.
FWOOOOSH! I blurred ahead with Myrkblade raised.
Th-Th-Thwissh! Robin twirled his staff and ran straight at the right flank.
The soldier shouted back at the men with the charges: "Get those damn things wired up! We gotta blow this Popsicle stand!" Then at the gunmen. "Let 'em have it! Straight up the middle!"
BLAM! BL-BLAM!
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
RAT-A-TAT-TAT!
BANG!
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
The streaming lead found its way into the center of the line. The golems shattered and were pushed back some. The left and right flanks pushed out.
That's where Robin and I came in.
"RAAAAAUGH!" Robin dove with a swing of his bo-staff, shattering rocky torsos and crowns apart with mighty flicks of the wrist.
"……!" I slashed murk-charged swings of my blade into the thick phalanx of burning bodies on the north edge.
CRKKKK-KKKKKK!
The golems were shattered, cracked, and forced into the center where they met the ultimate punishment.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
CRK-KK-KK-KK-KK-KKTTT! Flaming pebbles and granite slabs flew from the hot impacts.
I continued slashing at the beasts, shredding any and all limbs that lunged burningly at me.
Robin stabbed and slapped with his bo-staff
A few of the stumbling monsters lunged back at the Boy Wonder.
CRKKKKK!
"Nnngh!" he hopped back, flipped, and landed with an exploding discus raised. He held his breath and flung the explosive projectile into the side of the street.
POWWW! The blow sent at least half a dozen golems flailing into the center of the massacre of rock and burning stone.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
On my side, I was gradually backstepping from an impenetrable advance of the creatures.
They 'snarled' flamingly and marched with extra speed and menace.
Converging on my figure.
I sweated, swinging my sword.
I stepped backwards and nearly bumped into something.
My black eyes widened.
I glanced down through my shades and saw a fire hydrant.
"………."
CRKKKKKKKK!
The monsters lunged at me.
I took a breath and flipped over the hydrant.
On the other side—retreated from the golems—I hissed mutely and slashed a front knob off the hydrant with a murk-laded slice of my blade.
SLASSSH!
CLINK!
SPLOOOOOOOSSSSSSSH!
A torrent of water exploded out into the golem crowd. The subsequent content of the liquid against the heated limbs caused a cloud of steam to hiss violently into the air.
SSSSSSSSSsssssssssssssss!
I held my breath.
Channeled spectral energy through my blade.
Aimed the weapon forward.
Absorbed a huge pulse of the steam…
….fused it with murk.
Screamed mutely….and charged forward with a heavy swing of the thickened weapon.
SWOOOOOOSSSSSH!
The blow shattered two golems at once and sent three more from the murky concussion sailing into the line of soldiers' fire.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
There was a shout from behind us.
One of the shirtless demolition experts panted and held a thumb's up. "All good to go!"
"It's hot! Everyone hit the deck!"
"Robin! Noir! Get down!"
The two of us ran into the center of the street and held our heads low---
POWWWWW!
A fountain of fire exploded a channel through the rubble.
The whole street shook.
The jeeps wobbled.
The golems merely stumbled once…but kept their advance. Nearly two dozen of them.
"We can drive on through!"
"Hurry!" Robin shouted. "Get your men out of here--!"
"It's no use! The charge was too weak! The path's tiny! We'll never get all the jeeps out in time before those creeps reach us!"
"Then run on through!"
"We'll be defenseless—"
"You heard Robin! Grab all the weapons you can and—"
"LOOK!"
VRMMMMMM!
Robin and I looked up.
The men gasped and ran to either side of the jeep-laden street as one of Dagger's hummers burst through the fresh ravine in the rubble and burned down the road towards us.
The Titan Leader and I gasped and dove out of the way.
SCREEE-EEEECCCCH!
The hummer spun to a smoking stop just meters away from the advancing line of golems.
The soldiers fumbled for their guns and aimed at the hummer all in one accord. The demolition experts included.
Robin and I hobbled up to our feet, watching with uncertainty—
CLANK!
The driver's side door of the Hummer kicked open.
One of Dagger's thugs jumped out.
Plant!
He landed on his feet in the center of the street.
"You! Freeze!" the leading soldier shouted above the noise. But try as he might to keep the stranger in the line of sight of his gun, his worried eyes were cast on the ever-advancing line of golems.
"Something's screwy here….," Robin murmured….eyeing the stranger. "Wait…l-look at his eyes!"
I did.
The man's eyes were closed.
Is he……
Asleep?
The random thug of Dagger turned.
He 'looked' at us.
"……"
His lips curved sleepily.
He held a hand up.
'J'
"………….," my jaw dropped.
"No way….," Robin murmured. He gazed at me. "Th-Then that means…."
The possessed thug held two fingers to his mouth.
He whistled shrilly.
RUMMMMMMMM-MMMMMMBLEEEE!
The soldiers gasped and wobbled as the ground shook.
Robin and I steadied ourselves.
The thug's body plopped(!) down to the ground and suddenly an energetic Jericho was hopping onto the hood of the hummer he 'drove' in and looking over the hill of rubble.
So did Robin and I look….
SWOOOOOSSSH! A herd of Wildebeests literally poured over the crumbling hilltop. They leapt over the heads of the soldiers and jeeps' gunmen. They stomped past us. Some running on two feet. Many rushing on all fours. They snorted and reared their silver plated crowns of serrated horns.
FWOOOSH!
FW-FWOOOSH!
FWOOSH!
Jericho smiled—winked momentarily at us—and swung his arm 'FORWARD!' towards the line of unsuspecting golems.
RUMMMMMMMBLLEEE!
"GRFFFFF-FFFFFNNGHH!" The Wildebeests let forth a snorting, all-encompassing warcry and rammed into the golems head on.
Tackling.
Plowing.
Biting.
Crushing.
SMASSSSSSSSH!
Golden bits flew.
Shredded slices of golem rock.
Gravel and lava fragments.
And the rest of the City echoed with the same rumble…
……of well-over three hundred able-bodied Wildebeests throwing their muscled might into the mess of magma.
Backup has arrived.
"Wooo-HOO! YEAH!" Robin suddenly shouted in an explosive manner that even surprised me. Something akin to the inner-Tim shined out in his face as he grinned wide and raised his bo-staff. "That's what I'm talking about!"
"……," I gazed at him. Breathlessly smiling.
He cleared his throat…straightened his cape….and simpered: "Erm….th-this could end up being rather….advantageous?"
I planted my black palm against my forehead.
A mute snicker…
I then glanced at Jericho.
He glanced back at me.
A shared smile.
Then…..
He hand-signed: 'My father. Have you seen him?'
My smile left.
I exhaled gently and hand-signed back: 'Thankfully, no.'
And I couldn't tell from that far off if his face was falling or if his hopes were rising.
T-T-T-T-T-T-
Everywhere, the City echoed…echoed…echoed….
As the gold surged back and the battle spun around yet again.
The Charge of the Wildebeests.