DC Gothic – Red-X
Part 22
Location Unknown.
The final match of this tournament was not what I had expected. Rather than face off against a single foe in another arena we were all going to fight each other for the championship title in one big battle. The last person standing was the winner. He or she would get the grand prize, which was a single unlimited wish.
We could wish for anything we wanted and it would be ours. Which meant the winner could have anything she or he ever dreamed of possesing. Fantastic wealth, great power or they might simply have their worst enemy killed and that was just the stuff I could think of right now.
Upon hearing this naturally the group had divided itself into bad guys and good guys, and I was happy to stand with the crooks as I belonged with them more than I did with the heroes. Still it helped that no one I cared about was on the other side.
Also there were girls in both group, which was different as until now I'd only been made to fight other men. I wasn't sure if I could strike at a women, but soon I would find out as even though the guys here out numbered the girls there I was bound to have to trade blows with a woman at some point.
As soon as the word "FIGHT!" got shouted out we were all on the move.
Some psycho in black robes and a skull mask, that was no where as cool as mine, came at me with a scythe of all things. My staff had a hard time in keeping my foe's sharp blade away from me, and what made it harder was that this guy really seemed to want me dead for some reason.
By dumb luck the Grim Reaper wannbe some how managed to knock my staff out of my hand. Then he came in for a killing blow but his swing was too high and I was able to grab the weapon by the handle. Then I kicked the guy in the black robes as hard as I could which caused him to let go off his odd weapon just enough for me to take it off him.
The scythe wasn't the kind of thing that I was used to using, but since I didn't have any time to use my Xs I had no choice but to swing the awkward weapon around in an arc.
I didn't mean to do it, but I killed Grim Reaper guy the scythe that had been his sliced his stomach opem with little effort so while most of my head was freaking out about the dead body a little part of it was telling that the scythe had to be very magical. However there was no time to think about there being someone's guts on the floor as I was under attack.
Things were so messed up that I could barely focus on one enemy before another one was trying to get my attention and the next thing I knew the scythe was a sickle, which was far more manageable. I was able to block Robin's staff as he tried to hit me repetitively.
The Boy Blunder seemed to have singled me out, as I was special to him, and because of this he attempted to beat me up. His staff was a blur, but I was able to deflect his strikes and then I went on the offensive. The sickle, that was now mine, allowed me to force Robin's weapon out of the way long enough that I could stomp on his foot. But that didn't even seem to register.
"Have I done something to upset you?" I asked of Robin.
I didn't care enough to hear his answerer and given all the background noise around us I doubted I could have heard him anyway, or that he heard me. Besides I didn't need to as I was shagging one of his friends. That really had to hurt his feelings.
Robin returned the favour and stomped on my foot, so I had to dance around a little as we both tried to separate our weapons. When we finally managed to do that someone grabbed me from behind. That was when I saw Supergirl and I could also see that she holding me above her.
I then found myself being thrown across the arena, which was a large and swallow silver pit off some sort, and when I landed I felt the ground start to shake. Now parts of the ground were raising up at different rates and I also noted that no one was flying although I didn't know why.
Now I had a height advantage, as the platform I was crouching on was rising up higher now, and I could see the chaos all around me.
It was a riot of colour and noise that I didn't get to enjoy for long as Blackfire blasted me off the platform. Thankfully my wonderful suit protected me from the worst of the attack
"What the hell!" I growled.
Before I could do more than get irate about that. Blackfire was trying to kill me again she had her hands wrapped around my throat, but this at least I was able to stop as I brought my knee up and pushed her over me.
Then the next thing I knew the sickle was once more in my hand and I was about to cut her neck open when I stopped myself. My first kill hadn't been intentional, but this time I had actually wanted to make Blackfire bleed and that wasn't like me. Sure I'd thought about killing her, but planning something and doing it were two different things.
I knew then that it was the sickle making me so bloodthirsty, but I could not bring myself to throw it away so instead I stashed in my belt and knocked the alien princess with a swift kick to the head.
After that something grabbed me from behind and before I could even swear I found Kyd Wykkd on my back, he was like a cross between Batman and an evil monkey.
"Get off!" I snarled while spinning around.
I body slammed the mutant freak into the ground, or I would have if he had still been on my back. He had teleported away and was now on top of me. Then I transported myself on top of Wykkd and beat him up before he pull them same trick on me again.
Before I could even finish doing that Robin was back to bother me and this time I had no patience for him. I used all of my fighting tricks to stop Batman's sidekick from pummelling me. His kicks and punches were deadly but as ever he seemed to lack focus when fighting me so it wasn't too hard to stay one step ahead.
When the time was right I was able to throw Robin over my shoulder. Then I twisted his arm so hard that Boy Blunder screamed loud enough that it defended everything else out.
This time me doing more damage than was needed had nothing to do with being bloodthirsty I was really enjoying this fight now. The adrenaline was rushing through my veins now and my appetite for action had been wetted. I wanted to win. I would win.
That was when Robin somehow kicked me in the head, and despite that fact that my mask did protect my head the blow really hurt.
Before I could recover from that Batgirl kicked me to and I keep moving back until I bumped into Jinx, who had somehow made it this far, and she tried to attack with me with her powers.
I ducked just in time for the pink coloured energy to go over me and hit Batgirl, who stumbled forward and rammed into Jinx. That left me with just Robin to worry about and him I could handle.
Timmy boy was yet again charging right at me and I blocked the blow, and then I returned the favour. My blow didn't fail to connect, but it didn't do much to phase him. Still it brought me enough time to fire a couple of sticky Xs at his feet, and that trapped him place. I could have done that much sooner, but I'd wanted to preserve my resources.
Now there was no point holding back so I started firing Xs at everything that moved, and as I had expected I ran out of sticky stuff long before I ran out of people to disable. So I switched tactics and use my throwing Xs at anything I could and by this point folks were getting a might peeved at me.
I got tackled by a massive woman who I'd never even met before, and I didn't get the chance to introduce myself as she was too busy bashing me into one of the raised platforms.
It really hurt, but that didn't stop me from hitting the huge lady in the shoulder as much as I could and when that didn't work it was her turn she punch me in the stomach.
Then I ended up on my knees and that would have been it if not for the fact that I could electrify my suit. That very much distracted the woman who had been beating me up and it gave me the chance to use the rotary Xs on the back of my hands to make the woman back off a little.
That was when I dived between her legs and used the blades to cut her limbs, that was enough to drive her to her knees and I finished her with a solid kick to the back of the head. But I that was far as I got because Robin was back yet again and he was attempting to strangle me with his staff.
In order to get out of that I used my teleporter again and then I pressed the button that made invisible. This allowed me to catch my breathe and I was about to drop the cloak when I realised that I could just sit out most of the fight, and rejoin when it suited me best.
Which was smart, only bending light didn't help much with Supergirl around and when she started walking towards me I started to panic. I had nothing that could even slow her down.
Then I remembered the ring of fire Seeker had given me this morning. That had been a surprise as he'd already given me a ring yesterday, and I had to wonder if that guy had somehow known I'd need the magical item.
I sent a fireball at Supergirl and that knocked her down in just the right wat that I caught a glimpse of her underwear. That sight distracted me so much that I was caught totally by surprise by Batgirl, who must have seen where the fire ball had come from.
My next action was to drop the cloak and a second later I had to side step to avoid another kick by Barbara Gordon. I grabbed her leg and then spoke to the heroine.
"Does your father know you're out this late Barbara" I said.
Hearing me call her by her first name shocked the masked woman enough that I was to use my greater strength to twist Batgirl's ankle. I had no intention of doing her any real harm but once I let go I knew I'd done just the right amount of damage to make it harder for her to move.
This gave me the advantage and by forcing her move. I made her put pressure on the sprained ankle, and that made her lose her footing. In a fight such as this that was mistake a person couldn't afford to make, and this proved to be true as I beat Batgirl.
Sadly for me Supergirl was not out of the fight just yet and she did not take kindly to someone hurting her friend. Of course I didn't take kindly to aliens with god like power throwing me across the room,
"Okay pal" the hot blonde said as she lifted me up "I'm going to...".
"Clark Kent is Superman" I said to distract her.
It worked really well she dropped me and I managed to say on my feet.
"How do you...?" she asked.
She never got the chance to finish the question as I had taken out the scythe and had just used to make the goddess bleed. Like her cousin she was vulnerable to magic and this weapon was magical so I was able to cut her. However I only sliced her arm as she was really far too pretty to ever disfigure.
"Ow" she called out "What?".
I then used some smoke bombs to add her confusion and then I used the scythe do the one thing that no woman could stand to have done to her. I cut off some of her hair, and that totally ruined her look.
Having the stuff would be handy if I ever decided to do some voodoo on her, and given the way my life was going that could happen one day soon.
"You little creep!" Supergirl called out "I'm going to pulverise you!".
That was when the sickle grew back into a scythe and I used it to sweep the hot alien babe off her feet, and then the blade was at her neck. Only I managed to stop myself from possibly killing the heroine.
Not that she needed to worry as Robin had just tackled me from behind and now we were wrestling. I had dropped the magical weapon and my power reverses were running low so I couldn't use any of my tricks either.
We ended up fighting like children rather than professionals. I felt my nose break as Drake rammed his elbow into my face and he wasn't much better off as I was I now had him in a full body nelson.
I managed to get a hand free and I tried to reach for my staff only attempting to do that just resulted in me getting overpowered by Robin. Yet that worked to my advantage as when we changed place he got hit by Supergirl who had just been trying to punch me.
That made me laugh as the blonde had used enough force to knock out a human being and now Timmy boy was out cold.
"Robin. I'm so sorry" she called out.
Her apology was heartfelt and it was also poorly timed as it gave me time to hit her with a fire ball at close range.
Before I could see if that attack had been enough to put her out of action I felt a tugging sensation and everything started to fade away.
(Line Break)
Location Unknown
When the sense of dislocation ended I found myself in largest room of the hotel. Which was the place from which the fights were normally watched and everyone else was there even the people who had been knocked out. Everyone looked fine, other than the guy I had killed as he looked to be in some pain, but he was alive so that was something.
Also the room had been transformed into party central. There were balloons, streamers, and even a banner with the word 'Congratulations' written on it in big bold letters.
"RED-X IS THE WINNER!" the Games Master called out over the intercom.
No one cheered, but I didn't take that personally as they all just looked confused.
"He has earned the right to one wish which he can make at any time using this scroll" another voice then added.
I assumed it was the Traveller who was now speaking but I had no time to think of that as what looked like a rolled up scrolls in a transparent container floated down from the celling. Thankfully there was little in the way of fanfare as it did.
I took hold of it and then looked it over. It was rolled up and tucked away safely in glass cylinder, and while it looked like nothing special I knew enough about magic to know that I something of awesome power held in my hand. I could feel it.
"Only he may use it" the voice of the Traveller then warned.
We'd all seen the power of the being that was behind this tournament so no one was foolish enough to try to take my prise from me.
"Now enjoy the party" said the Master of Games "Within the hour you will be returned to where and when you were before you left".
There was a lot of food and drink on offer, and now some music was playing but I wasn't remotely interested in this sort of thing so I headed off to my room, and I completely ignored Jinx when she tried to talk to me as I wasn't in the mood to hear anything she had to say. She'd had plenty of chances to talk to me over the last few days.
To my complete lack of surprise Raven was already in the room.
"Not one for parties" I said after taking off my mask and gloves.
She was fully dressed, sadly, and sitting crossed legged on the bed.
"Who won?" she asked me.
That question did surprise me as I had assumed she had watched the fight, and had just slipped out before the festivities had gotten going.
"Me" I answered.
She didn't react to that at all.
"How was the fight" she inquired.
I found it hard to answer that question, but soon I was able to form words.
"It was insane" I told her "it was like this grand mash up. Everyone was fighting each other and it was all sochaotic. I could barely tell what was happening most of the time and the rest of the time I was fighting. I used every dirty trick I know to win".
Raven had nothing to say on that either, but she did want to know about something else.
"Did you get the big prize?".
"I did" I told her while taking the scroll out of the cylinder.
Her only reaction to this was a raised eyebrow, but when I laid the scroll out on the bed she couldn't help but examine it.
"Scroll of Unlimited Wish" she read out.
My guess was that I had to write the wish down before it could be granted as there was a quill provided. There was no ink, but I highly doubted that I needed any.
"You would wish for anything" Raven was now saying "there's no limit".
Which was explained by the name.
"So I could end world hunger, or cure cancer" I said as I mused over possible wishes.
Raven looked concerned as I spoke.
"You could" she agreed "But you need to be careful. The wish would be granted, but not in the way you expected".
Since I didn't want to blow up the planet or turn everyione into ferrets by making the wrong wish I decided to ask her to explain further.
"Say you wished to end world hunger than you could end up killing everyone who doesn't get enough food by stopping them from feeling hunger at all, or the wise might cure everyone who has cancer now but not everyone who will get it later. Which would be nice for a lot of people, but if you wished to know how to cure cancer than that would be better".
I got what she was saying. She didn't think my wish would be in anyway perverted but it could be granted in a very literal way. Which explained why the scroll was so big. With so much space I could carefully describle exactly what it was I wanted from my wish.
The only problem now was that I had no idea what I wanted. I'd been so distracted by winning, and by a certain purple haired semi-demon, that I hadn't taken the time to think about what I would wish for if I did win. Still there wasn't a time limit on this thing so there was no need to rush.
With that in mind I put the scroll away and tucked into my belt next to the sickle. I hadn't even realised I still had that and I hide behind my cape before Raven could see it.
"The Master of Games said that we would be out of her in about an hour" I informed the Teen Titan "So I won't see you again for a while. I was on the other side of the country from you".
Raven had by now resumed her quest to reach enlightenment or become one with the universe, and was sitting cross-legged on the bed again.
"An hour, huh" she said "What can we do to pass the time?".
I got the sense that she wanted to me suggest sex so that she didn't come off as a slut, but I wasn't in the mood to mess around.
"Me I need to lie down" I said as I put my words into action "I'm wiped".
I couldn't see her face but her posture told me she was a disappointed.
"Oh" was all I got from her.
I decided then to throw her a bone.
"We could cuddle for a while".
That seemed to make her happy and before I could blink she had herself wrapped in my arms, and while it wasn't a smart idea to close my eyes I just couldn't help it. I really needed to rest and I had the feeling that when I opened my eyes again I'd be somewhere else, but I didn't worry about.
Worries could wait for an hour.