Uncanny Wonder Woman

Chapter 31: Underworld Unleashed- Part 2

By

The Uncanny R-Man

Disclaimer- All familiar characters belong to DC Comics.

Metropolis-

A woman ran for her life through the demon-infested streets of Metropolis. Somebody had unleashed a horde of demons on the city and they had quickly overrun the place. Unfortunately, Superman was off-planet and was unable to help his adopted hometown.

'Oh God. Oh God. I don't want to die…' The woman panted as she tried to find refuge in a nearby alley. Unfortunately, the demons chasing her weren't fooled that easily.

'Bad idea running, pretty.' One of the demons laughed, licking its lips hungrily. 'Running only makes you taste better.'

'Chasing after you only heightens our hunger.' Another demon smirked.

'The pretty ones always taste the best.' A third demon added, laughing at his own remark.

The woman turned to run away, but discovered that the demons had cornered her at a dead end.

'Please…' The woman began to sob as she stumbled over a garbage can. 'Don't…'

'I do like it when they beg.' The first demon chuckled. 'Not that it ever works.'

'SCREEEEE!!'

A sonic scream blasted the demon off its feet.

'What in Beelzebub's name?' The demon growled.

THUNK!

A well-aimed arrow nailed the demon right in the arm, making it roar in indignation and pain.

'You're going to pay for that, whoever you are!' The second demon snarled. 'Let's get them!'

'Not so fast, ugly!' An arrogant voice retorted. 'We're the Justice League, and we're here to kick your ass!'

'Nomed ot tibbar!'

'Gleep!' The demon yelped as it was transformed into a rabbit by Zatanna's incantation.

The last remaining demon hissed in anger and launched itself at the heroes, only to be deflected away by a well-aimed punch from Wonder Woman.

POW!

'You're safe now, ma'am.' Booster Gold reassured the woman as he knelt down to help up the woman. 'The Justice League is here to help.

The woman took the offered hand and slowly stood up.

'Where's Superman?' The woman asked.

'No need to thank us or anything.' Guy Gardner sniffed. 'it's not like we saved your life or anything.'

'Stow it, Gardner.' Green Arrow snapped. 'We don't have time for your crap.'

'Aww, bite me Greenie.' Gardner retorted.

'Stop it, the both of you!' Black Canary told them both. The blonde bombshell glared at the two emerald-clad heroes. 'Or I'll make you stop!'

The two heroes knew better than to argue with Black Canary, so decided to keep quiet.

'Superman is off-planet right now.' Booster Gold told the woman the team of heroes had just rescued.

'Thank you, Green Lantern.' The woman thanked the glory-seeking hero from the future. Booster just glared at the woman after that.

'You'd better go find somewhere safe to hide.' Zatanna told the woman. 'We'll take care of things here.'

The woman did as she was told and dashed off to find somewhere safe to conceal herself.

'And I am NOT Green Lantern!' Booster yelled at the woman as she ran off. 'Do you see any green on this costume?!'

'No matter how many of these things we fight, we're still no nearer finding out who started this mess.' Black Canary sighed.

'The Golden Lasso of Truth will tell us all we need to know.' Wonder Woman said as she unwound her lasso from around her waist and tied up one of the demons with it. 'The lasso compels you to tell the truth, demon. Now, tell us who is responsible for unleashing the demons.'

'Ahh! It was Neron!' The demon hissed in pain. 'Neron is the one you're after. Somehow he managed to find the Eye of Lucifer. He's hole himself up in the Dark Side Club. It's on Siegel and Third. Please, have mercy. It hurts…'

'Like hell we will.' Guy Gardner sneered as his hand began to glow green. 'You were gonna eat that woman. I say we give you what you've got coming to you.'

'That isn't necessary.' Wonder Woman said as she waved Gardner off. 'You are free to go, demon.'

'What are you, nuts?!' Gardner spluttered in disbelief. 'We can't let that thing get away. It's a freaking demon! It's only gonna kill more people!'

'It has learnt its lesson.' Wonder Woman responded. She then shot a look at the demon. 'Haven't you?'

'Oh, yeah.' The demon nodded in response. 'I won't eat another human ever again. Honest, I swear!'

Wonder Woman released the demon from her golden lasso and turned to regard her teammates as the demon flew away.

'Who is this Neron the demon spoke of?' The Amazing Amazon enquired. 'He is not somebody I recognise from the League's files.'

'It's not good news, Diana.' Zatanna explained. 'Neron is one of the most powerful demons in Hell, second to only the devil himself. His usual gimmick is trading in souls. Whatever he wants with the Eye of Lucifer can't be good.'

'Then we will have to stop him no matter what.' Wonder Woman nodded. She put a hand to her ear. 'Did you get all that, Etta?'

'I heard every word.' Etta Candy responded via the com-link in Wonder Woman's ear. 'I'll meet you at the Dark Side Club as soon as I've scrounged up some hardware.'

The Dark Side Club-

Neron stood an watched the chaos he had wrought from his office on the top floor of the Dark Side Club.

'Excellent.' Neron chuckled to himself. 'Things couldn't possibly get any better. Those poor deluded heroes have no idea what I'm planning. Thanks to the Eye of Lucifer with every soul my demons claim I get stronger by the minute. Soon I will be invincible!'

SHRAKOOM!

Neron covered his face with his arms as a sphere of green energy smashed through the window.

'It's over, Neron!' Wonder Woman told the demon. 'You will claim no more souls tonight!'

'Ah, Wonder Woman.' Neron smiled. 'It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. In all the millennia I have been around, never have I ever possessed the soul of an Amazon. I don't intend on leaving without one!'

'Nomed ezeerf!' Zatanna said as she cast another spell, freezing Neron on the spot. Unfortunately, it wasn't to last.

'Foolish trickster!' Neron hissed. 'You think that your paltry party tricks can hurt me?'

'Then perhaps we will!' Black Canary retorted as she readied a sonic scream. 'SCREEEEE!!'

The sonic scream blasted Neron out the window. Unfortunately, it would take much more than that to take down a demon as powerful as Neron. He simply hovered right outside the window laughing all the while.

'Don't just stand there, pour it on!' Black Canary told the other heroes. The heroes did as they were told and attacked Neron with all their might. Unfortunately, green energy blasts, explosive-tipped arrows, sonic screams, magic spells... were easily shrugged off.

'Is that the best you have, heroes?' Neron laughed. 'You are nothing more than an annoyance.'

'Not an annoyance, a distraction!' Booster Gold retorted as he and Wonder Woman flew right at the demon.

'Pitiful.' Neron sniffed as he snatched the two heroes by the throat. 'I thought you heroes were made of sterner stuff. No matter, I will claim your souls soon enough.'

'Diana, I'm down at ground level!' Etta Candy's voice said over the com-link. 'I managed to get myself some hardware.'

'Then take the shot.' Wonder Woman croaked.

'I can't!' Etta exclaimed. 'Not with you in the way.'

'You have to make the shot, Etta!' Wonder Woman coughed. 'Booster Gold and I will be fine.'

'Suit yourself.' Etta responded as she cut communications.

'Your friend is wasting her time.' Neron chuckled. 'Nothing you have could possibly harm me now!'

Down on the street, Etta Candy took aim with the rocket launcher she had borrowed from the Special Crimes Unit that had been called in to help combat the onslaught of demons.

'Woo freaking woo, you son of a bitch.' Etta smirked as she pressed down the trigger on the rocket launcher.

FWOOSH!

The rocket hurtled out of the launcher and hit Neron squarely in the chest, blasting him to bits.

KRAKOOM!

'Aww, man!' Booster Gold grimaced as he was pelted by bits of demon. 'This reeks!'

'Good aim, Etta.' Wonder Woman congratulated her friend. 'That's the last we'll be hearing of Neron.'

'It's the least I could do.' Etta smiled as the Amazing Amazon landed back down onto the ground. 'What's going to happen to those demon things now that Neron's dead?'

'With their master dead, they should just fade away.' Zatanna said as Guy Gardner carried the rest of the heroes down to the ground.

'Oh God…' Booster Gold grimaced as he tried desperately to wipe Neron's remains off himself. 'This can't be happening. This can't be happening.'

'I guess there's nothing left for us to do now than clean up.' Black Canary suggested.

'Yeah, that's the best part.' Green Arrow muttered sarcastically. 'I just love the cleaning up part.'

TBC…

Next: More Tragedy

When Zoom breaks Cheetah out of prison it's up to Wonder Woman to team up with the Flash and stop the villain's rampage.