Bethany's POV:

I dashed at Blaze, anger seething through my body as I shot a rapid barrage of exploding arrows. I was only about five feet away from her, so I hoped she wouldn't have enough time to react.

She raised up a hand and all of my first arrows shriveled up into ash and fell at her feet. But she didn't see the second barrage that I had shot when she was distracted. Her eyes widened as the arrows shot right at her face and exploded right when they touched her. I tossed six smoke pellets down at the ground in front of her.

Smoke billowed everywhere and I used that confusion to reattach my guns to my arm straps and grab both knives and dash to where I saw Blaze standing last. I spotted a staggering shadow up ahead and jumped through the air at it.

I extended my leg and landed hard on Blaze's head, hearing a small crack. As Blaze grunted in pain, I touched down onto the ground and charged her again, both knives extended. At this point, I was just acting on impulse. I was so angry that I simply allowed vengeful instincts to take over my body. I didn't care how much I wore my body out, I just wanted to hurt her as much as she had hurt me.

And then I'd kill her.

I was dual wielding the two knives to slash at her repetitively, spinning and flipping around her. Each time I swung and stabbed, my knives met the soft flesh of skin. The sounds of Blaze's cries and shouts gave me so much satisfaction. I even started to feel the band around my chest alleviate each time I heard her cry out in pain. I knew that the satisfaction that I was feeling was disgusting, but I couldn't help it. She deserved this and so much more pain. And I was going to deliver.

After I stabbed her in what I thought was her back, I had to take a step back to clean off the knives. They were getting a little difficult to hold because they were starting to get slippery. I stepped back from the clouds of dirt and explosion.

I looked down at the knives and was surprised to see that blood covered them. That's why they were so slippery. At first I felt really sick that I had done that to someone, but I realized deep down, I actually relished in the satisfaction that I had cut Blaze up so much.

I looked up to see what Blaze looked like. When the smoke cleared, she stepped forward. The only evidence that I had even touched her was the blood that was dripping all over her body. But the gashes I had made in her were already healing quickly. Her hair was set ablaze and her eyes were so fiery that the flames reached the top of her head. In her outstretched hands were orbs of fire. She was angry.

I tossed the bloody knives on the ground, too lazy to wipe them off on my costume. I fingered my butt-length cape, anticipating her to throw her fireballs. I looked at her with a smile as crazy as how I felt.

"You look a little angry now," I spat her own words back at her. I kept a firm grip on my cape as I put a finger to my lip innocently, "Whoops."

She let out a battle cry and threw both arms out at me, streams of fire barreling towards me. I swung my cape in front of me as I fell into a crouch. With my cape acting as a protective dome around me, the fire passed overhead and around me, as if it just bounced off. Fireproof cape.

Inside my little dome, I started to sweat. The cape-dome was heating up like a full on sauna. But I had to wait out her fire throw. Carefully, without breaching the dome I had made, I reached to my side and grabbed my extendable staff. This one was different from my old one. After Robin and I had battled Blaze earlier today, he provided a better staff made of an alkali of strong metals that wouldn't melt, even on planet Mercury. Something about Kyrptonian metals. Once the stream of fire paused, I took this as my chance.

I shoved my cape aside, it fluttering back behind me, and extended the staff. Then I dashed at her.

She was unsuspecting, expecting me to be ashes by now, and didn't move in time to avoids the blow of my staff. I hit her across the face then turning kicked to the other side of her face to keep her upright so I could keep pounding her. I jabbed her right in the stomach with the end of my staff, causing blood to spurt out of her mouth. She had to cough a wad of blood out of her throat and I ignored the fact that some blood even splashed onto the front of my costume. Guiltily, a ring of happiness from her pain ran through my body, alleviating a little of the pain in my heart.

I whacked her this way and that with the end of my staff, never stopping to give her a chance. Blood was all over her face and piling down her body. Somewhere inside me, I kind of enjoyed the fact that she had quick healing powers. This would allow me to be able to beat her up as much as I wanted to.

But I still wanted to kill her. I needed to. It was the only way to justify what she had done.

My eyes must have looked like a crazy rabid dog. But that was exactly how I was feeling. I felt so out of control and wild. And I wanted to release all the anger, strife, and pain out onto Blaze until she was lying dead in the center of the gravel clearing. Just like Rose was.

I could hear the sounds of a chopper coming towards us, but I ignored it, instead, focusing on blocking Blaze's fire with my staff. Blaze continued to throw fire at me, but I twirled my staff so fast that it seemed like the fire simply evaporated in front of me. After my staff seemed to be sliding around in my own hands from the blood, so much that I couldn't grip it properly, I threw it down on the ground and took up my fists. Blaze shot fireballs at me and I dodged them all with quick somersaults. My body was aching, but I refused to stop. Not until Blaze was dead.

I grabbed the first thing that was on my belt, which ended up being my grappling hook. Too lazy to switch to an actual weapon, I shot it at her. As expected, it wrapped around her torso tightly. I guess you could use the grappling hook for a lot of things. I yanked as hard as I could, causing her body to fly at me. I jumped up and met her stomach with my heel. Her face was in shock and blood and saliva flew out of her mouth and onto my cropped top, but I kept going, continuing with a punch straight in the nose.

She staggered back, regardless of the fact that her body still looked untouched, save for the fact that she was drenched in her own blood. But she was so tired and beat up that she wasn't even aiming when she shot fire at me.

Right when I was about to elbow her in the nose and hopefully break it, the sound of a chopper landing in the far part of the clearing overtook my senses. All the trees swayed drastically and dust clouds swirled around.

When it landed, a man I knew to be Lex Luthor and his assistant stepped out. Along with Queen Bee, Sportsmaster, Cheshire, Psimon, and Bane.

Aw shit.

"Friends of yours?" I asked grimly to Blaze as I dodged a stream of fire.

She nodded and smiled, showing off blood encased teeth as she croaked, "My allies."

I turned away from the little parade heading our way and punched Blaze straight in the nose. Blood gushed out from it and she staggered back and almost fell.

I continued towards her, completely ignoring the fact that there was a complete entourage of supervillians heading our way. I raised my fists again to strike at her, but I was suddenly lifted into the air and turned around.

Bane had my arms behind my back in a stronghold. He kicked my weak knees so that I stumbled and fell forward onto my knees in front of Queen Bee and Lex Luthor. Psimon, Bane, Cheshire, Sportsmaster, and Lex Luthor's assistant stood around. My hair was stringy with sweat and blood and tears. Strands fell in my face. I felt dried blood splattered on my face, and my costume was tattered and completely soaked in sweat and blood. I probably looked like a psychopath. I definitely felt like one.

Queen Bee pointed a finger at me as she towered over me and said, "Stop playing your childish girl games and listen."

Anger burned in my chest again and it felt like the band around my chest reappeared. I snarled at her and spat blood at her feet.

"You call that a 'childish game?!'" I motioned with my head at Rose's dead body curled up on the sidelines. I let out a frustrated scream and tried to wriggle out of Bane's grasp. No use.

Both Lex and Queen Bee merely glanced over at Rose's body for a split second before turning back to me.

"My sincere apologies for that. Blaze was not actually supposed to kill her," Lex said, without any real remorse.

I pushed down the burning hatred. I looked around the group of villains.

"No Klarion?" I asked. I spat blood again at Queen Bee, this time aiming for her stupid fugly face, but it only reached her stomach. She merely looked annoyed.

"No. He has failed us one too many times," Lex said simply, "But we are here for you."

"What was so important that you wanted to tell me that you had to kill an innocent young girl in order to get my attention?!" I yelled. Angry tears started to form again, but I attempted to blink them away. They still streamed down my face.

"We took some interest on you when we received reports of your fight with Devastation. We have been watching your moves as Huntress ever since. The Light has taken a keen interest on you," a business-like energy overtook him. It made me sick.

"Then why'd you bring an entire battalion if you only came to talk?" I motioned my head at everyone else.

"They were only here to ensure our safety. After all, we expected more of fight from your friends, but obviously they are not present," Lex looked around the empty clearing, "Going back to our deal. I suggest -"

"Not interested," I sounded as bored as I could. I struggled against the hold Bane had on me, but I was too weak and he was much too strong for me. I settled to just glare at Lex Luthor through the strands of filthy hair in my face.

"I will ask you one more time. Peacefully come with us to discuss the terms."

I snarled in response.

Queen Bee stepped forward and slapped my cheek, causing blood and saliva to fly. I ignored the sting on my cheek and glared daggers at her.

"You should be honored! The Light has taken an interest in you," She spat the words in my face.

Lex Luthor put a hand on her arm, calming her. He turned to me with a calm voice, "You should come and be introduced to the morals of the Light. I'm sure you even share some common hatred towards the Justice League and your old friends. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here alone." He motioned to the empty clearing.

It was true. I did hate the League and the Team right now. If I hadn't been so angry with the Team, I would have brought them as covert backup, even if Blaze had warned against bringing any one else.

But I didn't care about the Light or revenge against the Team. I only wanted Blaze. I wanted revenge against her.

"Are you deaf? Or just incompetent? Do you not know what 'not interested' means?" I was so angry and tired and sad. I just wanted to go to sleep.

Lex sighed and motioned for his assistant to come forward. She did.

"I guess that means that we'll have to dispose of the loose ties. Your only choices were to either accept our opportunity, or die. I guess you chose the latter. Mercy?" He stepped aside and offered his arm to Queen Bee and together they walked back to the chopper. The supervillians, including a bloody Blaze, headed back towards the chopper. Only Bane and Mercy remained. Mercy stepped into Lex's place.

Suddenly, her arm robotically transformed into a huge gun. She pointed it straight at me and I got a good look down the barrel.

I refused to close my eyes. I wouldn't die afraid. Not after that intense fight with Blaze. And especially after the fact that I still hadn't gotten my revenge on Blaze. She was still alive.

I heard Mercy's gun barrel shift over a few slots before stopping.

Then she fired straight at my head.

Don't you love cliffhangers?

Hey guys! So some of you asked me a WHILE back (like ten chapters ago or something idek) about what Bethany's costume looks like because, sooooo...

TADA! I drew one myself (picture on the side!). I know I know. Some limbs are a little disproportional, but ignore it, I'll keep practicing. But back to the costume! So her top and shorts are made of a strong material and are midnight purple. For a visual, look up the hero 'Huntress' and you'll know what I mean when I keep saying 'Midnight purple.' Her cape is black along with her boots and fingerless gloves. Her belt is golish colored (strong metal of some sort). So even though I always write that she gets her combat knives from her boots, I didn't draw that (I didn't know how 😂). Also, her arm straps are supposed to hold mini crossbow guns for her (but I didn't know how to draw that when the gun is folded up on her arm 😩). Then the little tube things on the side of her waist, those are extendable staffs (gotta have two of those, ya feel?). Ignore the fact that her face looks like shit. I only wanted to show you guys the costume, so don't let this alter how you imagine Bethany to look like! That's not even what I wanted her face to look like but I tried. Whatever.

Special thanks to all those who have already read the previous chapter! Way to go, you guys! Shoutout to snowy3000 I_am_Awesome_MDS wondergirl2001 itshappyline sammy0_0 FallOutBlu SKJ2025 epicmeep a-book-is-a-weapon chrisann1023 for either voting, comment, following, or adding my book to their reading lists! Thanks!

Next chapter will be tomorrow!