253. Break the Circle part 13
STOMP!-STOMP!-STOMP!-STOMP!-SSTTOMMPP!.!.!.!
Dozens of Wildebeests poured through the Streets of Downtown.
With snarling growls they flew themselves at the burning legion of Dagger's forces and sailed their fists, feet, and horns into the monstrosities.
SMACK!
CRNNNCH!
TH-THUNNNK!
The golems broke and shattered.
Burning bits of thermal energy flew.
Heated rock and lava splashes sailed against sidewalk and building fronts.
And as the mammalian army soared past us, Robin and I paced breathlessly over towards the Hummer where our favorite green-eyed blonde perched.
Jericho smiled at us.
Proudly.
Childishly.
Robin swallowed and gripped his bo-staff as he said: "What took you so long?"
Jericho hand-signed: 'I was waiting for the best moment.'
"Well you sure as Hell chose it!"
He giggled mutely.
But even there—in the heat of the surprise appearance—I detected a trace of worry…..apprehension?
The boy is in the shadowy company of his father.
And he knows it.
I decided to keep a brotherly eye on him….
'Where is the Messenger? Where are the Titans?' he asked us.
Robin and I exchanged glances.
I shuddered and looked aside as Robin verbally explained: "We've not heard any word from them."
"………."
"The Messenger—we know—fought Killer Croc not too long ago on Titans' Island. As for our teammates…..God only knows."
'We need to find them!'
"I know," Robin nodded. "But we have to save this City too!"
Jericho nodded. He pointed at the myriad of burly, bovine warriors charging into the depths of the City.
"And a good sight it is too!" Robin managed a half-smirk. "I'd say these brawny brothers are your pals more than mine, Joey. If anyone should tell them where to go….it's you."
The little blonde nodded fervently.
I turned to Robin and gestured: 'I will show Jericho where to lead them.'
"Good," Robin nodded. He twirled his bo-staff. "Because I'm leaving."
Both of us mutes made a face.
"I'm going to check on General Calvin!" Robin uttered. "I'll head Southwest to the Bridge!" He was already running off. "Keep in contact, Noir! Once we've bashed Dagger's monsters apart, we'll see how quickly we can regain the rest of the urban battleground!"
I nodded and mouthed wildly: 'Keep an eye out for you know who!'
Robin may have understood me.
He might not have.
He dashed off, joining the soldiers and their jeeps.
I took a shuddering breath.
I hope Robin hasn't left Tim at home today……
I twirled and whistled at Jericho.
He looked directly at me.
I smiled and pointed eastward.
The boy nodded.
I twirled Myrkblade and blurred down the road. Fw-Fwooooosh!
Jericho waved his arm at a random, stampeding Wildebeest.
The creature came to a stop, snorted, and crouched down…..crown bowed.
Jericho leapt off the Hummer's hood and landed on the back of the beast. He climbed onto its shoulder, gripped tightly to a silver-laced horn, and pointed forward.
The Wildebeest and its closest brethren grounded their hooves, clenched sharp teeth, and charged forward.
"Nnnnnnghhhhhh!"
ST-STOMP! ST-STOMP! ST-STOMP-STOMP-STOMP-STOMP!
Jericho balanced himself atop the crown of the Wildebeest and soared—en masse—into the thick of battle.
I blurred alongside the charge, Myrkblade raised. Smoke billowing down from underneath my shades.
A solid line of burning golems flailed and shook their meaty arms ahead of us. CRKKKKK!
I swung Myrkblade with a mute snarl just as the Wildebeests converged on the enemy forces in the middle of the street.
SLAAAAAASH!
THWACK!
WH-WHAM!
"NNNGHHH!"
T-T-T-T-T-T-
VRMMMMMM!
General Calvin's convoy rounded the Western District where the two huge golem-giants were suddenly overwhelmed by nearly thirty large, silver-horned beasts clamoring about their burning ankles.
CRKKKK-KKKKK!
The two monsters attempted stomping-on and crushing the sudden invasion of mammalian warriors.
The Wildebeests merely scattered and redoubled their pestering attack from the sides and rears.
Both giants found themselves tripping across the streets and nearly collapsing over small, one-story warehouses.
They flailed and attempted shooting blobs of lava and burning earthen shards down at the attackers.
PFTOOOOOSSSSH!
The Wildebeests merely snorted and side-jumped the blasts that split sidewalk and concrete.
The giants shuffled closer together. Back to back, the two huge golems stabbed and punched and flung their tentacle-like arms of fire down at the encircling, dashing combatants.
PHWOOOMB!
FWOOOOOOOMB!
The Wildebeests parted and ran back just as—
BLAM!
…..
P-POW! A tank shell fired from the U.S. defense line at the North end of the Suspension Bridge landed in the 'thigh' of one monster, causing it to lurch down on one leg some.
CRKKKKK-KKKK!
"God almighty….," the General murmured. "….it's like Ronald McDonald's brigade!"
SWOOOSH-PLANT! Robin landed on the hood of the General's jeep, causing it to lurch.
Nearby soldiers gasped and aimed pistols on instinct--
"Good guy." Robin droned. He looked over his shoulder at the General and pointed: "Those two big things are being distracted. They're vulnerable…but not vulnerable enough. We gotta take them out if you want to reassemble your troops in the West!"
"Those freakin' cows seem to be doing a good job."
"Not by themselves, they won't!" Robin shouted. Snkkt! He extended his bo-staff to maximum length and whipped out a grappling hook in another hand. "I'm going in. I'll help the Wildebeests distract the monsters for your boys to take aim and clean their clocks! Wait for my signal!"
"And just what signal is that, kid?"
"A flare."
"But you're not carrying a flare gun on you!"
"Yeah…..," Robin nodded without looking. "I'm working on that."
POW!
He fired his grappling hook.
Clank!
He took off with a yank and flew up on his cord.
The soldiers in the jeeps gazed blankly.
"………….," one fighter in a nearby vehicle muttered: "Just whose battle is this, sir?"
Calvin scratched his gray head beneath his helmet. "It belongs to the dogs and cats for all I care……….….as long as Dagger bites it."
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
SWOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSH!
Robin swung from a tall apartment building.
His boots flailed over the surging streets full of close-combat Wildebeests-versus-burning-golems. Meaty fists flew into rocky crowns. Flaming limbs flung at hairy hides. Horns met stone and teeth met ashes. Sparks flew and crags of gray granite clattered to the asphalt.
Above this mess, Robin soared the full extent of his cord and made his way directly towards the five-story stature of one of the two hulking giants.
At the end of his grappling hook, he pressed a red button and forced the launcher to snap free of the cord.
THWP!
Robin fell, glided with use of his cape, and landed—perched—atop a giant's crown.
Thud!
CRKKKKK-KKKKKK!
The huge beast rocked back against the shoulders of its tall companion. It raised its burning tentacles and smacked its own crown to slap Robin into bits.
The Boy Wonder back-flipped, dodged the limbs, and landed in an agile perch on the huge creep just behind him.
The other giant paused in the middle of stomping burning feet down at the Wildebeests. It rumbled in apparent frustration and shook its head back to toss the Titan Leader loose.
CRKKKKKK!
WHAM!
Both crowns of the monsters collided in a hot splash of ash.
Robin dove clean off the two creatures as hot, burning shards fell with him.
In mid fall, he produced a bolo, gritted his teeth, twirled it overhead, and tossed it madly at the entwined crowns of the giants.
TH-THW-TH-THW-TH-THWPPP!
The weights of the bolos slung them around snugly and attached the two heads.
The five-story monsters leaned back against each other precariously like conjoined twins. They flailed and struggled to get loose from each other.
THWIIIIIIISSSSSH! Robin glided down the building face of an apartment complex. At the second story, he reached a hand out and roughly gripped ahold of a balcony's outer railing. SNGGG!
"Nnnngh!" Robin grunted. He dangled above the war-torn street for a second before holding his breath and hoisting himself up and onto the balcony.
Ashes from the two giants were still splashing outward and drifting earth-ward.
The Boy Wonder picked up three shards from the balcony floor.
Breathing heavily, he stuffed the burning pieces into his cord-less grappling hook launcher.
He aimed the 'gun' up at the sky….squinted his eyemask….and fired…
POWWW!
The burning shards soared upwards in a flaming arc…..
T-T-T-T-T-T-
From a long distance, the shards flared against the red night of the sky.
"Sir!" a soldier in a neighboring jeep pointed. "Look!"
Calvin stood up in his seat……..and he smiled. "Damn straight….the boy's got 'em!" He turned and pointed at a radio man. "Relay coordinates to the artillery at the bridge! ASAP!"
"Yes sir!"
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
Robin was leaning over the edge of the balcony…whistling…shouting…waving his gloved hand at the Wildebeests.
"Beat it! Get out of here! Clear out now!"
From the distance…
POW!
P-POW!
POWWWW!
Robin turned and looked.
Three tanks had just fired from the defense line at the bridge.
Already he could see three burning shells streaking towards his location.
Robin gritted his teeth, crouched low, and covered a good half of his body with his cape—
SHOOOOOOOOOOM-CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAK!
The shells soared in and exploded into the joint crowns of the stuck giants.
KA-POWWW!
POWWWW!
The Wildebeets grunted and ran off in victorious warcries.
The burning giants smoldered…shattered………and teetered over.
Straight towards Robin's apartment building.
The Boy Wonder gasped.
He spun…faced the window alongside the balcony and kicked at the glass. WHAM! Again. WHANG! Again. "Nnngh!" CRKKKK! The glass window cracked.
FWOOOOOSSSH! The crumbling giants' bodies fell on him.
"Aaaaugh!" Robin dove through the cracked glass.
SHATTTTTER! He plunged into the abandoned apartment, rolled, got to his knees, jumped up, and charged straight into the hallway with a jump-kick through the door—WHAM!
T-T-T-T-T-T-
Meanwhile, the defensive line of U.S. soldiers and artillerymen on the North end of the Suspension Bridge cheered as they watched the two giants plunge over and smash straight through the apartment building.
CRKKKKKKK!
Smoke and ash rose high into the red night sky.
But the two monsters were grounded….finished off.
The soldiers pumped their arms and howled and whistled.
In the distance, a few Wildebeests jumped atop cars and building ledges and growled with their limbs flailing towards the sky. The warcry finished, the creatures leapt down into the street and stampeded again towards the center of the City.
As General Calvin's convoy rejoined the brigades retreated to the Western District, a healthy squadron of apaches beated overhead and charged briskly back into the thick of the City.
As everything and everyone reorganized….
To join the wildebeests' frontal assault if need-be.
T-T-T-T-T-T-
Speaking of which……
FWOOOOOOSH-SLIIIICE!
I screamed mutely as I ripped Myrkblade straight through the torso of a burning golem.
On either side of me, thick Wildebeest bodies flew their fists and horns into helpless, crumbling monsters.
SL-SLAM!
CRNNNCH!
I ran along a heated charge of the hairy creatures down a straightaway stretch of Main Street and leapt over a pile of rubble towards another thick cluster of monstrosities.
The creatures turned and looked up at us. They billowed flames at the last second…
THWOOOOOOSH! I—murking—and the Wildebeests—snarling—flew down onto the thermal creeps. Myrkblade sang through the air and silver horns glinted…
CRKKKKKKK!
THWACK!
SL-SLICE!
WHAM!
SLAM!
I shredded my way through two monsters, landed on the ground, spun, sliced legs and arms off of two other gold-flickering fiends, and dashed forward with a burst of murk to run another monster through.
The craggily creeps fell on either side of us. Our charge was so merciless….so unstoppable…
I ran and leapt over collapsing, rocky bodies and raised Myrkblade in time to slice straight down the upper body of one unlucky chunk of burning stone.
SNKKKKTTT!
The Wildebeest whose crown Jericho was perched on ran up from my left side and swung its fist straight through the chest of a burning creature. CRACKKK! The Wildebeest then snorted, lifted the smoking carcass of the rocky cretin, and tossed it straight through three advancing monsters. SMASSSH!
I panted and looked up at Jericho.
He glanced down at me. He gave me a thumb's up from where he perched.
I simpered….
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
SP-SPLORCH!
Two nearby Wildebeests wailed in pain and fell bloodily to the ground.
Jericho, his beastly friend, and I gasped. We looked over.
A hummer full of Dagger's men was positioned in the center of an intersection beyond.
Mounted gunmen in the rear were firing two assault rifles worth of lead straight into the charging crowd.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT!
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
The Wildebeests desperately dove every which way to avoid the thick blasts.
Tiny potholes formed in the street in a straight line beneath the dashing feet and hooves.
Jericho's beast ducked and rolled over to hide with me alongside a snug building side.
Bullets ricocheted all around us.
P-PING!
P-P-PING!
We panted.
Across the street, over a dozen Wildebeests shielded themselves in similar, emergency fashion.
We need to break through that barrier.
Swiftly……
I gazed at Jericho.
Hmmmm……
I gestured.
He looked at me.
I took my shades off and pointed at my black eyes.
Jericho nodded.
He patted his friend's crown.
"Nnnnngh…." The Wildebeest lowered its head.
Jericho came to eye level. He stared directly into my face. He took a breath—
CONTACT.
His green eyes strobed.
FLASSSH!
A slight dizzy sensation….
I teetered…and knew he was inside of me.
Hang on.
TH-THWISSH! I twirled Myrkblade and blurred straight out into the street.
Into the madness.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
Aaaaaaaaah!
I dashed left and right, teleported around the high caliber bullets, leapt over ash and rubble, blurred smokingly through a few rounds, and solidified with my feet running alongside the left stretch of windows. Bullets flew at me, shattering the glass of the building face and catching up to my heels. I snarled, pulsed murk, and cartwheeled through the air so that I ran on the opposite stretch of building windows before leaping forward, diving, and landing with a slided that ended bare meters in front of the Hummer with Myrkblade twirling upwards.
CLANG!
CL-CLANG!
I deflected two bullets expertly.
SP-SPLORCH! The gunmen felt their bullets coming back and ripping through their shoulders. Under a red spray, they screamed and fell either way off their mounted positions.
In the meantime I leapt—Thwoooosh!—and planted myself in a low crouch right against the windshield of the Daggerite vehicle.
The two terrorists inside gasped at me and reached for their weapons.
I leaned forward, my black eyes wide against the glass.
The driver looked at me---
Now, Joey!
CONTACT.
FLASSSH!
The driver jolted….then suddenly aimed his gun into the arm of the passenger at point blanc.
BLAM!
Blood splattered on the windshield.
The passenger screamed.
THRUMP!
Jericho's possessed terrorist kicked the man out of the vehicle and started the hummer up.
I took a breath and leapt off the hood of the hummer.
VRMMMMMMM!
Jericho swerved the car around and burned a path straight towards three of Dagger's fully-armed jeeps.
The men on board gasped and tried desperately to shoot the incoming vehicle apart.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT!
But the vehicle sped at them all the faster.
At the last second, a green-flickering young body leapt out, solidified in mid-air, flipped, and landed in a squat in the center of the street in the form of Jericho.
Plant!
He panted…gazing ahead.
VRMMMMMMMMM-POWWW! His hummer slammed straight into two of the jeeps and exploded brilliantly.
The men's bodies flew along with the flames and shrapnel.
One jeep survived. Its gunman shouted a curse and aimed the gun at Jericho. RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
Jericho gasped, covered his head, and flinched in a fetal position.
The bullets flew hotly at him.
THWISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSH!-FWOOOSH! CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG! I blurred over and solidified in front of his small figure with Myrkblade spiraling. Snarling.
The bullets flew back at the gunman.
He ducked his head. He growled and raised two grenades over his head to toss at us.
I repositioned Myrkblade like a javelin…let out a mute howl….and tossed the murking weapon with all my might.
THWOOOOOOOSSSSH!-THUNK! The length of Myrkblade skewered the man's neck to the hilt. He gurgled blood as he flew back from the impact, slammed against a street sign—CLAANG!—and collapsed soggily to the sidewalk. WHAM! The driver and passenger of the jeep jumped out and ran off, panting.
"………..," I glared, smoke dancing out of my shades. I knelt down and hoisted Jericho to his feet.
He gasped, wobbling where he suddenly stood. He looked up at me with wide green eyes.
I placed a hand firmly on his shoulder. 'Are you okay?' I mouthed.
He nervously nodded.
"…….," I smiled. I patted his shoulder.
He calmed a little.
Until………
CRKKKKKK-KKKKK!
ST-STOMP!
The Wildebeests in hiding all ran out and flexed their muscles in alert. "Nnnnnnnnnnrgh!"
Jericho and I looked up.
A towering, six story golem loomed over us. Its burning feet smashed through jeep wreckage and buildingside markets as it made its sluggish approach.
STOMP!STOMP!
Jericho gulped and stumbled backwards. He waved a signaling hand to the Wildebeests. The horned creatures gathered behind me as I glared up at the huge golem alone.
Guess I should be pulling my sword out of its new 'stone' now……
CRKKKKKK!
The burning heel came down over us.
I gritted my teeth, grabbed Jericho, and dove the two of us towards the side.
SWOOOOSH!
STOMPPPP!
T-T-T-T-T-T-
In the meanwhile…on the other side of the City….
In the Eastern District far away from the thunder of the streets.
The air rumbled with its own intensity….
FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOOSSSH!
Three HINDs in formation roared over the shipyards.
They angled themselves southward along a coastline road.
They chased the rear wheels of four U.S. jeeps burning rubber in a hasty retreat from the menacing birds.
The soldiers in the back of the jeeps aimed up and fired from the mounted guns.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
Hot streams of lead soared up and traced towards the hulls of the behemoth helicopters.
The HINDs easily side-strafed, their rotary blades slicing loudly at the air.
When they came back into tighter formation, the foremost of the three took aim with its mounted assault cannon.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
Potholes exploded in the sidewalk all around the jeeps.
The soldiers inside shouted and swerved madly to avoid the aerial assault.
As they rounded a bunch of fishermen's warehouses, the gunmen in the back took more careful aim and fired again.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT!
Bullets flew off a few rotary blades.
Unphased, the HINDS closed in.
FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOOOSSSH!
All three blurred down the road…veering westward and chasing the U.S. vehicles into the thick of the City.
As the buildings rose higher and higher.
And the glow of battle increased slowly…..slowly.
………
FWOOOOOOOOOSSSSSH! From above, a green-streaking Starfire soared down right after the three enemy aircraft.
Her emerald eyes squinted against the wind as her hair danced and her jeans flared. The coldness of the red night kissed her scrapes and scratches. She bore the brunt of the sting and swiftly burned a mid-air path towards the rear of the three HINDs.
Dagger's aircraft were noisy….and they were fast. But they were more of the former than the latter.
The Tamaranian used that to her advantage, gliding faster and faster towards the tail end of the monstrous 'birds'.
FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOOOSSSH!
As the buildings rose up to an average of eleven stories each, the HIND caught up with the speeding jeeps along a straightway of rubble-strewn road and launched twin rockets.
PFTOOOOOOSSSSSSH!—POWW!
The two rockets exploded beneath the rear of the line of Army vehicles. The vehicle exploded in shrapnel. The soldiers' bodies flailed and flew all over, half of them screaming.
Starfire gritted her teeth. She propelled herself ever forward. Her skin sheen with the beating winds.
VRMMMMM! The jeeps spun left around a throng of fighting golems and Wildebeests.
FW-FW-FW-FWOOOOSSSH! The HINDs squeezed between the towering skyscrapers and gave chase.
THWOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSH! Starfire streaked after them.
The path went southward.
The jeeps were running over bumpy fields of collapsed buildingfronts.
The drivers cursed and urged their vehicles forward.
The gunmen nervously looked up at the HINDs closing in.
The helicopters tilted downward…their payloads hissing.
Starfire stretched her hands out. Fingers uncurling. She hissed as she flew…flew…….flew………and torturously caught up with the last of the three HINDs. Her strong alien hands grabbed onto the tail rotary blade—CLANK!—and twisted---SN-SNAPPP!
The rear helicopter's tail completely shattered. With its rotary blade snapped off, it twirled and spun left into a building front. SHATTTTTERRR! A sea of glass and steel exploded outward as it slammed into the skyscraper.
"RGHHHH!" Starfire snarled. As she flew by, she gazed at the helicopter and let loose a pair of burning-hot green optic blasts that ate their way into the crashing chopper's payload.
KAPOWWWWWW!
A chunk of the building was removed with a huge fireball as the HIND bit it.
The other two HINDs lurched somewhat in mid-chase as the four pilots checked their six.
The men in the jeeps gasped and cheered.
Starfire flew next at the rear of the second HIND.
Signals were being passed between pilots in different cockpit bubbles.
There was a 'jolt' to the flight of the second HIND….
And right as Starfire caught up with it—
FWOOOOOSSSH! The second HIND decelerated.
Starfire gasped and ducked down in mid-air. THWOOOSSSH!
SL-SL-SL-SLASSSH! The heavy rotary blades nearly sliced her stomach out.
Starfire twirled and soared straight ahead in a corkscrew fashion.
Panting.
The men in the jeeps watched with uncertainty…
Starfire found herself streaking down the air of the thick City streets in between the two HINDs.
The one that decelerated to the rear picked up speed, started chasing her this time, and thusly let loose an endless stream of heavy caliber machine gun rounds.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
Starfire ducked and spiraled and whipped around in mid-air.
Glass building fronts and metal structures all along the 'walls' of the City avenues shattered and burst from the multiple bullet impacts.
The alien girl gritted her teeth, sweat, and zig-zagged through the air as swiftly and desperately as she could to avoid the intense blasts.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
Try as she might to accelerate forward and take shelter in front of the foremost HIND, the helicopter in question swerved about so that its slicing tail rotar blocked the Tamaranian's way.
She panted, gazing behind her.
The pilots grasped firmly at the controls.
Two hellseekers locked onto her.
The alien girl bit her lip.
VRMMMMMM!
FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOSH!
THWIIIIIIISSSSSSH!
FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOOOOOOSSSSH!
T-T-T-T-T-T-
"Raven……….R-Raven……speak to me….."
"Nnnngh…..mmf….C-Cyborg?"
"No, it's Garfield."
"Where is…..wh-what….?"
"Stay with me, girl…."
Changeling and Raven were on the furthest slopes of what was left of Titans' Island. Half-wading in the surf, the green elf was firmly rubbing Raven's shoulders and rousing her back to the waking world.
The burning….red-tinted world.
"I think those giant rock things have stopped coming out of the big burning hole….," Changeling said….hushedly. He glared over the nearby rock bluffs where a strong golden glow could still be seen. "For now at least….we're safe here."
"Mmmmnngh….," Raven twitched and groaned. The dark wound in her center seemed to throb all the more painfully than before.
Changeling bit his lip. "We might be safe here…..but you need medical assistance. You can't just heal yourself all on your own. I gotta get you into the City, Raven….I gotta get you to help. Some sort of help!"
"G-Garfield…….I-I don't know how long….nngh…I-I can manage it….," Raven wheezed. "I'm….l-losing concentration…."
"No. You. Are. Not!" he practically hissed in her face. Grabbing her shoulders tightly. "Listen to me, Raven…."
"Nnngh…."
"LISTEN to ME."
Her violet eyes weakly opened.
He panted. He pointed in the City. "Starfire's out there. I just know it. I've heard and seen U.S. helicopters. I think there are good people here, Raven. Good people fighting for us. And until we're on their side of the battlefield, no help's going to come to us. And right now, we need help. Especially you. Face it….The Tower's gone. The Island's abandoned. The time to move is now."
Raven stirred, wincing. She wincingly sat up. The sounds of battles and explosions drifted in the background of the glowing City. She rubbed her head…looked at him…..and blinked.
Silence.
"Garfield……," she murmured. She gently reached a shaking wrist out to the left side of his face. "Y-Your ear….."
"…….," his eyes thinned and averted themselves from her as her pale digits trailed the gash with its caked blood. The entire lobe was gone.
Her lips quivered. "Y-You…..lost it?"
"………," He looked at her. He smiled painfully and gripped her hand. "I haven't lost anything important. And I don't intend to."
"………..," Raven's eyes thinned. "You….Y-You're the one who needs healing…."
His lips parted.
She drifted back, breathing softer and softer. "I…..I don't need the aid. You do."
"Raven—"
"This is all my fault, Garfield. I-I could have…..been more watchful. I could have seen through Clayface."
"……….."
"I'll accept…..whatever happens to me……"
A beat.
Slowly, Changeling frowned.
He gritted his teeth.
He stood up and practically yanked Raven up to her feet.
"Nnnngh!" she winced and coughed.
Snarling, the green elf held her up firmly. "You're a fatalist, right Raven? Then I guess you're ready to accept any damn fate that happens to you. Want me to spell it out to you? You're gonna frickin' live, god damn it!" He growled and hoisted her over his shoulders.
She winced and gasped from each and every jolt. "Nnngh…G-Garfield….l-leave me!"
"NO!" He hissed, shuddering….fighting back his own cranial pain….hoisting her up on stronger, leaner legs from weeks of workout. "I've lost Terra….we've lost Robin…Cyborg's in la-la land….I sure as Hell not going to lose you! So you'd better face up to it, Raven! You're gonna live tonight! Nnngh….Whether you like it or not!"
She shuddered and clung to him. Tearing from the pain. Trying to concentrate.
He limped a few paces over towards the land ridge that led from the burning island to the battle-strewn main land. He carried Raven, took a deep breath, and gazed strongly at the impending city skyline ablaze.
"Hang on the best you can, Raven! The only thing I can't promise you is a smooth ride!"
Raven gently breathed and bit her lip.
"Nnnngh!" Changeling shook all over, took a deep breath, and morphed shakily into a thick muscled, smooth-haired stallion. Raven suddenly found herself sprawled-saddled atop the emerald equine. The horse whinnied, grounded its hooves, and sprung off in a brisk charge down the land ridge. The dark girl rode bumpily, her eyes thin. Her lips murmuring…chanting…
Meditating…
As the two left the burning crater behind them and stormed straight into a different Hell.
T-T-T-T-T-T-
Meanwhile…
In the Western District of the City….
Beneath the strewn rubble of a crumpled apartment building.
"Nnnngh…."
A bruised and slightly singed Robin climbed his way out from the rubble with his bo-staff acting as a pickaxe. He stood up on wobbly knees at the outer rim of the debris and stared up.
HINDs and apaches were dogfighting in mid-air.
The snorting warcries of Wildebeests drifted between the buildings.
And above it all…the crimson sky.
Looming.
"I know you're here….," Robin murmured. "B-But where?"
A beat.
He looked ahead.
He did a double-take.
Across the City was a familiar sight. However, a familiar sight smashed chaotically in half.
The wooden, splintery frame of a once glorious flower vendor.
Roses and lilies and petals splashed outward from the rubbles and splinters.
"………………."
The Boy Wonder shuddered.
CRKKKKKK!
CRKKK!
Robin gasped, spun around, and twirled his bo-staff at ready.
His eyemask widened.
Seven stomping golems marched past the windows and storefronts straight towards him. Their limbs burning and flailing.
The Boy Wonder took a hesitant step back.
Gulping—
VRMMMMMMMMM!
Loud engines.
Screeching tires.
Robin caught sight of six dark shapes swarming in from the far side of his peripheral vision.
VRMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
The first of many police motorcycles drove up, screeching to a stop. The helmeted man straddling the cycle stood up and fired pistol rounds into the first of the incoming monsters.
BANG! B-BANG!
Two more police motorcycles drove up to a squealing stop. Their occupants half-stood and pumped police issued shotguns before unleashing them in merciless sprays into the thick, golden crowd.
BL-BLAM!
BLAM!
The golems shattered—but not entirely. The stumbled back, burning flame where their exoskeletons now gaped open.
"……..," Robin blinked. He gazed at the first of the arriving bikes.
The man lowered his pistol and slid open the visor of his helmet. "Need a ride, Mr. Titan?" Smith smiled.
Robin's jaw dropped. "Lieutenant?" He drifted forward, leaning on his bo-staff for support. "What are you doing here?"
"What do you think?" he gestured to his men on the nearby bikes holding the burning line back. "Doing our duty to the City!"
"But…..y-you're the Commissioner! You could get in big trouble with General Calvin!"
"I'm just acting commissioner, remember?" Smith winked under his helmet.
"…….," Robin smirked. "Right….." He shuffled over and straddled the seat behind Smith. "And I died in the radioactive depository explosion."
"Now you get the picture," Smith lowered his helmet visor and waved towards the other police officers. "Chapman! Abbey! Vann! Let's ride!"
VRMMMMMMM!
Robin held on tight as the six officers burned their way through the rubble-strewn streets, swiftly skirting past golden enemies with thick limbs flailing at them.
Robin shuddered and shouted above the noise into Smith's helmet. "Let me guess! Back to HQ?"
"You tell me, Robin!"
The Boy Wonder made a face. "Lieutenant…I won't have you putting your life on the line if it's not necessary!"
"Too late for that!" VRMMMMMM! Smith led the caravan madly down a street, weaving around fallen debris. "So where to? Most of Dagger's forces are concentrated in the northeast! If we don't cut them off swiftly enough, both the giant menaces and the terrorists will find an alternate route into the subways!"
"W-We can't have that!"
"Not in the least!"
VRMMMM! A police officer on a bike besides Smith and Robin rode up and gestured while shouting: "There're two of those bigass creeps ahead! They're gathering around the L-Track!"
"Good eye, Peebles!"
Robin gritted his teeth: "The L-Track…….."
"Completely abandoned, I assure you!" Smith shouted. "In fact, most of the subway cars are sitting on the tracks at a stand still. We wanted as much room in the underground tunnels as possible—"
"Smith! Head towards the Northern districts!"
"The slums? Robin, that'll make us open game for Dagger's HINDs! The buildings there are small and—might I add—EXTREMELY flammable!"
Robin smirked. "Were you going to risk your butt or not?"
Smith sighed. "I did somewhat plan on risking my butt MY way….but whatever, kid!" He pumped the handles. VRMMMM! "Boys! Follow me!"
"Yes, Lieutenant!"
"Wooo-haa!" one let forth as they sped past golden golems that lunged at them and the random gunfire from a terrorist jeep.
VRMMM-MMMMM!
The six-cycle convoy sped their way northward…where the City grew brown and desolate into the industrial complexes beyond.
T-T-T-T-T-T-
FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOOOSSSSH!
At that very moment, Starfire was still playing a high speed game of tag through the City Streets.
She hovered—sandwiched between two of Dagger's HINDs—soaring down rows of skyscrapers after a convoy of U.S. jeeps.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
The HIND behind Starfire fired and fired and fired at her.
She gasped and zig-zagged all about, desperate to avoid the streaming tracer fire.
Buildings shattered in steady streaks of bullet impacts on either side of her.
The HIND in front of her swerved to both block her and avoid its 'twin''s assault.
The soldiers in the jeeps above and below watched apprehensively at the sweating Titan's plight.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT!
Streaming lead soared at Starfire's shoulder.
She gasped, twirled in mid-air, and came spiraling backwards towards the huge aircraft.
The HIND stopped firing and tilted forward so that its heavy rotary blades met Starfire's flailing body.
The alien girl tensed, accelerated in mid-air, and soared in a green streak forward with her stretched legs barely dangling within a meter of the air-slicing blades.
FWSSH-FWSSH-FWSSH-FWSSH-FWSSH!
"Nnnnnngh!" Starfire tried propelling herself further.
Bulbs of sweat formed on her brow, flattened from the g-force, and snapped off her amber skin from the wind.
The blades sliced further…closer to her heels.
The building faces blurred on either side.
The air roared and thundered with the rotary noise.
Starfire's green eyes twitched.
She looked up.
Panting….
Her optics blinked.
A building up ahead graced a huge billboard advertisement standing on its remote edge…nearly jutting out into the Street. The large, synthetic head of a smiling woman was brushing her teeth with a ten-foot-long toothbrush……
"NNNNGH!" Starfire flung two…three…..four starbolts up at the sign.
FL-FLASH!
FLASSSSSH!
FLASH!
The energy bolts pelted the billboard all over.
The huge sign began to wobble.
As the chase loomed up beneath it…
"RAAAAAUGH!" Starfire launched one last, gigantic starbolt. FLASSSSH!
FWOOOOSH-SNAP! The supports to the billboard finally melted. With a groan, the entire sign toppled off the building's rooftop---SWOOOOOOSSSH!—and plummeted down into the cavity of the elevated street.
"Nnnngh!" Starfire dove low, skirting past the edge of the rotary blades.
But before the rear HIND could catch up to her---
THWOMP! The billboard fell into the middle of the rotary blades. SNAP! SNKKKKTT!-CRKKK! The mangled bits of the billboard sliced into the engines and was ground up within the inner motors and joints of the craft. P-POWWWWW! The HIND exploded, splitting down the middle. With a puff of red smoke and sparks flying, the sign-entangled helicopter lost speed, plummeted down in a descending arc, and shattered across a field of golems…smearing the City streets with flame, rock monster exoskeletons…and burning fuel as the Wildebeests swiftly ran out of the way. CRNNNCHHHKKKK!
The soldiers in the jeeps cheered wildly.
The pilots of the front HIND panicked.
They started to pull up.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
The soldiers fired at the helicopter.
The aircraft pulled out of range of the high-caliber assault….but was not fast enough to avoid—
"RAAAAAAAUGH!" the Tamaranian warrior soared upwards with a fist flying at the metallic hull.
CLANG!
T-T-T-T-T-T-
CRKKKK-KKKKK!
The thick, burning feet of the giant golem slammed into the concrete as the beast paced through the street.
The Wildebeests, Jericho, and I dove and skirted around the stomping feet for our lives.
We huddled besides a street-lamp as the earth shook beneath and beyond us.
We panted.
Jericho worriedly watched his bovine companions.
I looked up from the militaristic throngs of Wildebeests and caught sight of the top of Kobayashi Tower.
And I froze…
There were two bodies on the summit.
Busily fighting.
Weapons harshly contacting.
Flashes of crimson.
And something flickered coldly inside of me in response.
Shivering.
White……
I exhaled a cold, vaporous breath.
Ana……
Is that……him?
Jericho's eyes were also locked on the top of the Tower.
As if he somehow also knew…..
Until—
CRKKKKK-KKKKK!
I jumped back with Jericho—gasping—in my grasp. Sidewalk and asphalt shattered where we were previously located. I breathily gazed up at the height of the lumbering giant and clenched my jaw.
Whoopass time.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"SNKKKKKTT-HCKKK!"
FW-FW-FWOOOSH!
CLANNNNGG!
Red Aviary slammed his two-edged sword straight down against Dagger's crossed knives.
The despot gritted his teeth and struggled to hold Deathstroke's weighted blade of Destruction back.
The Reaper's one eye strobed red as he leaned forward…..hissing cold crimson vapors onto the man's face.
The glass surface of the Kobayashi summit cracked and spiderwebbed beneath them.
There were fractures and sword-slash marks in the satellite dishes.
Various metal shards of shattered knives littered the floor.
Dagger was as strong and resilient as ever….but he was a wreck. Scratches and cuts formed along his limbs. There were tears in his vest, armor, and leggings. Sweat ran down his brow and neck as his wrists shook and shivered to hold off Deathstroke.
Deathstroke….
Who was in his element.
Who was wielding and breathing and becoming Death himself.
He didn't mind any of the scars or scrapes or stabs that Dagger gave him, for his body was already hacked to bits. Three knives stuck into his skin from where Dagger had tossed them into his figure. Orifices and cuts and red-leaking canyons let loose puffs and clouds of misty red vapor. Metal and meaty parts inside of Deathstroke clicked and ticked and clattered away…..
….much like the mouth hidden behind the slits in the cowl as Slade leaned his face forward. Hissing into Dagger's shaking face.
"Clik-Clik-Clik-Clikkttt….Hccck….are you frightened yet….Daggerrrrr?"
"………," Dagger clenched his jaw. Struggling with his crossed blades to keep from being sliced in half, tossed off the buildingside, or both.
Behind him, the City he coveted burned and shook from the warfare.
Calvin's troops pummeled monstrosities with artillery shelling.
Jeeps and Hummers did battle in the Downtown avenues.
And huge, burning golems thrashed through seas of Wildebeests in carnage and chaos.
The Wildebeests……
Struggling for a firm breath, the sweating Dagger darted his cold eyes over his shoulder and towards the streets below.
A thick company of Wildebeests beneath the height of Kobayashi Tower charged a throng of golems.
Alongside them, Army jeeps maintained the line and fired rapidly at a six-story giant stomping menacingly towards the thick of the group.
But the Wildebeests were ruthless.
The Wildebeests were brave.
And amidst the prevailing front of their assault, two figures stood out.
A smoking swordsman….
And a petite, blonde child……
…
"Nnnnngh…," Dagger turned to Slade. Teeth gritting. He summoned his icy tone of voice and dripped forth: "He's here, Slade…."
"Hckkkk….?"
"Jericho. Your son."
"………….clik-clik-clikkkt……" the pulsing red eye behind the cowl flickered. It wavered momentarily and glanced downward….
Past Dagger.
"J-Joeyyyy…..snkkkt….."
The blonde speck far below shook and quivered as the black swordsman guided him to safety from the stomping giant and crumbling buildingfaces.
"Hckkk-Clik-clik-clikkkt……What isss thatttt fool of minnnne doingggg here?""
SL-SLIIIICE! Dagger's blades uncrossed. They cut red-smoking rivers in both of Deathstroke's wrists.
"HCKKK-KKK-CLIKK!"
Dagger snarled and slammed his knee into the Reaper's face.
THOK!
Deathstroke staggered back.
Dagger lurched forward and slapped both of his blades into Red Aviary's sword.
CL-CLAKK! Dagger swiftly wrenched the hilt free of Slade's grasp.
Cl-Clankkk! The sword landed on the glass rooftop a few meters away.
"Nnnngh!" Dagger grunted and crossed the blades again, slicing deep into both of Deathstroke's upper thights.
SLIII-IIINK!
THWOMP! Deathstroke fell down to his knees. Bleeding. Leaking red vapors. "Hckkk-clik-clik-clik-snkkkt!" He leaked red clouds from four different spots as he shook and quivered….kneeling before the despot.
Dagger stood above him…heaving….catching his breath. 'His' City burned all around him. He took a deep breath and twirled both long knives into firmer grips. CHIIIIIIING! He tilted his head up and glared icily down at the Reaper with bright, hungry eyes. "You fight well for what you believe in. So I shall now give it to you."
"…………….." Deathstroke sat absolutely still. The glow in his single eye faded….
"Enjoy your 'Death', Slade. Granted, I shall certainly prosper from it." That uttered, Dagger stepped forward with one of the blades lunging straight at the small of Deathstroke's throat. "Nnnnghhh!"
"……..HCKKK!" A pulse of meditative Destruction swam up Deathstroke's right limb. He shot his right hand up into a fist and flashed a shield of RED.
CLAKKK! The entire length of Dagger's knife shattered on impact with Slade's wrist. Crkkkk-kkkkk-kkkktt!
Dagger's eyes widened.
"………….," Red Aviary glared. "Clikkt-HCK!" A flick of his wrist, and a burst of red slammed into the glass rooftop and sent a shattering shockwave into Dagger's feet.
Crkkkk!
The man hobbled back, his lower leg stabbed with shards.
Deathstroke shot his hand right.
FW-FWOOOOSSSH! His red sword bounced towards him on a layer of red steam. CLUTCH! Deathstroke grabbed it. Stood up….
Dagger staggered….
Deathstroke marched at him. One foot. Two—
"Nnngh!" Dagger stabbed forward.
Deathstroke side-stepped, billowed red, and sliced his red blade up with a snarl: "HCKKKK!"
THWACCCK!.!.! Dagger's left hand was severed at the wrist. The fingers shattered and flew free as the limb literally exploded from a pulse of pure RED. CRACK!
Blood and bone scattered through the red night.
Dagger let loose a sharp exhalation. He stumbled to the edge of the building and clutched his bloody stub. Teeth gritting till they all but sparked. He breathed one torturous breath….two….
FW-FWOOOOSSSH! Deathstroke blurred straight into him and—SLIIIIIIINK!—stabbed the length of his blade deep into Dagger's left shoulder.
Dagger twitched….breathless. His pulsing, pained eyes centered on Slade as the Reaper's cowl rose up close to the despot's face and hissed red steam. "HCkkk…..you've dissstracccted me for—clik-clik—the lasssst time, Daggerrrr….."
Dagger stared straight into Death. Shaking…quivering….but otherwise not showing the least bit of pain in his face save for a twitching eye or two. Regardless, the sweat on his brow froze from the cold of Deathstroke's breath as he listened to Red Aviary's words….
"You andddd I….we will meeet—snkkkt---again….," Deathstroke's one eye pulsed a glaring red. "As forrrr tonightttt….rememberrr my face in Hell…..HCKKKK!"
THWOMP! Deathstroke's foot raised and kicked Dagger in the chest.
SLIIIIINK! Dagger wetly slid off the blade, teetered, and fell off the East side of Kobayashi Tower. Flailing his useless left arm. Too breathless to scream…..
FWOOOOOOOOOoooooosssssssh!
"………..," Deathstroke gazed down at the falling despot's figure. He then cracked his neck, tore the knives out of him…and flexed his ripped muscles while tilting his head to the sky. "Snkkkt-HCKKKKKK-RAAAAACHKKKK!" A plume of red smoke billowed from his leaking body. He twitched all over….clicked….and prepared to dive off and slice his way into the Wildebeest battle below when….
He stopped.
"……………."
Deathstroke slowly turned around.
His frozen body poised.
His cowl-covered head leading to the side….exhaling red vapors.
With a glowing eye thin…he listened………listened……
He spun around.
His glowing eye squinted.
He saw a HIND of Dagger's soaring through the City.
And on its tail—burning an emerald streak through the air—a certain alien girl was in hot pursuit.
"……..snkkkkt-clik-clik-clik-clik-clikkttt……" Deathstroke flexed his arms in renewed vigor. CHIIIIING! Dragging Myrkblade behind him, he cracked his limbs….ran towards the edge of Kobayashi Tower….blurred….and leapt Eastward….
FW-FWOOOOOOSSSSSSH!
A red streak….following the green…..
T-T-T-T-T-T-
FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FW-FWOOOOOSSSSH!
The HIND jerked and swerved left and right, trying its mad best to shake the alien girl.
Starfire merely clenched her teeth and kept on its tail.
FL-FL-FLASSSH!
She fired volleys of starbolts at the huge, destructive bird.
The energy pulses merely bounced off the rotary blades.
The HIND ducked around a building and rocketed north.
Growling, the enraged Tamaranian streaked after.
Intent on capturing its enemy.
Not observing—at all—the crimson shadow trailing after her…..