Fall of Vengeance Part 2: Judgement Day
"Nooooo!" Before Matt burns Artemis, he is blasted by a purple and black beam of energy. Artemis dodges the excess fire but screams in agony when her shoulder is clipped by a tiny silver of demonic flame. Matt gets to his feet as green fire incases his head, burning away his flesh. The Ghost Rider has revealed himself. Rachel, stands across from him, fear etched onto her face as her hands are encompassed by purple and black energy. "Maggot." Zarathos growls as he breathes a torrent of fire at Rachel. She panics and lifts her hands, subconsciously forming a shield to protect herself. Zarathos heeds his assault as the fire dies down, Rachel is revealed to be unharmed. She looks up in surprise as she lowers the shield. "You may be able to withstand Hellfire...just makes killing you all the more better." Zarathos growls as he charges her. She levitates herself and blasts him with a beam of energy. He is sent flying back as he lands with a thud and a skid. "Very impressive." He growls as he hops to his feet and charges again. Rachel releases another blast but Zarathos dodges out of the way and leaps up, he grabs her foot and slams her to the ground with a thud. She groans in pain before widening her eyes. A flame covered fist barrels down but she quickly forms a shield. Zarathos hammers down onto the shield with relentless ferocity. Rachel struggles to hold the shield as it begins cracking under the pressure. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." She chants a spell and her body bursts into a flock of purple ravens. Zarathos is befuddled by the flock but stands shock when they merge back into Rachel, who releases another blast of energy. Zarathos is hit but he expected it, he takes in all the excess energy and forms a torrent of green flames and fires back.
Rachel matches the flames with her own purple fire. Both purple and green flames meet and interlock in the middle, both unwilling to give. Rachel begins struggling to keep her fire ablaze and to hold back against Zarathos who marches closer to her. Rachel keeps the flames up but forms a partial shield to protect herself as the flames begin to push back and encase her. "Now die...spawn of Trigon." Zarathos growls as Rachel narrows her eyes in anger, her eyes glow with a malicious red as a second set form on her brow. With a furious yell, she leaps up into the air and bathes the cave in her power, the flames are pushed away as a giant purple and red raven form from her mystic power as she stares down at Zarathos. "What's the matter...scared?" Rachel says in a malicious and gleeful tone as the raven's wings arch forward and shoot towards Zarathos. Sharp points line the wings as Zarathos is scratched by one but manages to dodge the rest. The wings reach outward and close with power. The force of the magical wind blast sends Zarathos hurling into the wall.
Zarathos pulls himself from the wall as Rachel falls to her knees. "You're feeling it aren't you? You have truly accessed your demon heritage, your body is not used to the influx of evil nor is your mind strong enough to take the strain. You've made a fatal mistake is believing that your power is something that you can easily control." He says as Rachel returns to normal, she is panting heavily, almost completely exhausted from the fight. "Unlike me, who has had eons to perfect my control...you will die here tonight...and no one will miss you." He says a she covers his fist with fire and charges Rachel. "Not today." She whispered to herself. She holds up her left hand, her ring finger pointed down while the rest sits straight up, her other hand has the same image but is held close to her chest. She twirls her left hand in a circular motion. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." She chants as her eyes glow purple as a black portal opens, right before Zarathos makes contact with her, he falls through the portal as she closes it.
P.O.V Change: Ghost Rider
Dropping through the portal, I see that I'm on a deserted street, night had fallen and no one was around. I turn back sharply and see the portal close. Damnit...she's resourceful, I'll give her that. I feel a dark feeling well up my spine as I turn and see Lilith's misty figure standing before me. "Mmm, green looks good on you beloved." She says as we kneel before her. "I am at your service, mistress. What would you have me do?" I ask a sage smiles and graces her hand along my shoulder blades. "Let us return back to our temporary room...we have so much to catch up on." She says as she turns away and opens a portal. I follow her through.
In the Mindscape : Matthew Spectre
I pace back and forth within my own mind as I see what my body is forced to do. I knew that this was going to happen. Zarathos told me on the magical infection that Lilith planted within us, but to see what we are forced to do. I nearly killed Artemis. I snapped M'gann's neck...hell, I nearly killed Rachel, the girl is fucking 10 years old and I nearly killed her. While I'm impressed by her skills and abilities, it shouldn't have never come to that. I should have had Jade stab with the sword when I had the chance. "The past is set and there is no changing it now." Zarathos says as his orange fiery from manifests next to me. "I know that, doesn't mean I have to like it." I say as we stand side by side as we watch my body, Zarathos's spirit being controlled and piloted. While our consciousness is not on sync with our body, Lilith's magic has worked its way in to make it look we are brainwashed, when I'm reality, we are kept in the dark recesses of our mind. Everything that my body does is basically responding to Lilith's will. A puppet for her to manipulate...scary shit.
"What can we do? I know that you said that there is nothing...but there must be something?" I ask him which he just shakes his head. "It's hopeless...my spirit is now tethered to Lilith's aether, her life force. Strong magic is at work and I don't have the strength right now to battle control." He says as I grunt in frustration...nothing. Nothing can be done. I watch as my body is now with a bunch of demons, Lilith is presiding over them. "What if you don't wrestle control...but rather cut the strings?" I ask as he looks at me perplexed. "Cut the strings?" He asks as I turn to him. "You said that Lilith has tethered your spirit to her...but not your conscience. You also said that she infected us, almost like a magical infection. What does the human body do when it's infected by a virus?" I ask him as his eyes widen. "Heats the body...we burn the magic out. That's going to take awhile. Lilith's magic will know if there is a problem, we will have to act slowly, one thread at a time." I nod my head as his form disappears. I turn back and continue watching, hoping that my friends are alright.
Mount Justice: Artemis P.O.V
"Ahhhhh! Stop! It hurts!" I scream out as Connor and Kaldur hold my arms down. Zatanna, M'gann and Blade are working as hard as they can to heal the burn mark on my shoulder. It hurts so fucking much. "Artemis, you need to calm down." M'gann says as she tires to cut my conscience feeling of the burn, but the Hellfire is so severe that I literally can't stop feeling it. "Let's see you with this burn and see how you like it!" I scream as the pain flares. "Kaldur, try using water." Zatanna says to him but Rachel shakes her head. "Hellfire, either directly from the source or from a burn, it can't be quench by water. We have to heal the skin and muscle on her shoulder." She says as her hands glow with a glassy white and blue. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." She whispers softly as my skin nits back together, I scream again. I feel a hand take my own as I glance and see Wally holding it. "Come on, you can do this." He says as I grit my teeth. The pain dies down but the feeling still remains. Rachel falls back but she is caught by Blake. He signs to her. "I'm alright, just need an hour or so." She says as she sits down.
Zatanna helps me up as she chants a spell. An ice pack and bandages come over and wrap around my shoulder. "The ice pack will sooth the muscles and skin but the burn and the pain won't leave for a few hours." She says as I nod. "Well...that could have gone better...but instead we got our asses kicked." Castle says as he loads all his guns with fresh magazines. "Your obvious observation is appreciated Castle." Blade says sarcastically as he takes a red pack from his back pocket. We all stare at him as he punctures a straw into it. "What?" He asks as we all stare bewildered at him. "Oh, yeah. I'm half vampire, need a snack, don't mind me." He says as he slips the blood. "So what now? Matt is gone and we have no idea where he is... we're back to square one." Robin says as he holds his arm and pops his elbow into place. He groans on pain as Zatanna walks over and starts wrapping his arm in a bandage. "So Matthew is a traitor? Why doesn't that surprise me?" Roy says as he leans on the wall. I get up with anger as Wally and Kaldur tries to stop me. "You selfish fucking bastard! How fucking dare you say that?" I say with venom as I go to deck him one but Wally holds me back. "Artemis, calm down. You're hurt." He says but I shove him away, to angry to care. "I call as I see it Artemis. He attacked us, nearly killed us...seems like a pretty good reason to call him a traitor." He says as he is wrapped in a purple and red aura. We look over and see Rachel staring angrily at him, four red eyes stare hatefully at him. Roy is lifted as he begins groaning, the aura begins squeezing him. "Rachel, enough." Blade says sternly as Rachel lets Roy down. "He's not a traitor. Nothing he did tonight was of his own making." She says as she forms the symbol that found. "This is the demonic symbol for 'Slave'. It's typically used for body, spirit and soul thralls who are held under the control of a demon. And since Lilith is a demon sorceress, she was able to to bind all three of Matt's and Zarathos's to her. They are not on control, Zarathos is now under Lilith's control and she is using Matt's body like a puppet." She says as the symbol disappears.
"So what do we do? Matt will be with Lilith, and now we will have to fight demons, vampires and him? How can we help him?" M'gann asks as she is held up by Connor. An idea crosses my mind but I know that the consequences, it's too much of a risk. "Lets stop for tonight." I say as everyone turns to me. "Everyone is tired and hurt. I know that we want Matt back, but there's nothing we can do. We'll start back up tomorrow." I say as Kaldur nods in agreement. "It's been a hard few days, get some sleep." He says, Connor, M'gann, Zatanna and Robin begrudgingly go while everyone else just nods in agreement. Roy gives me a dirty eye as I flip him off. I watch as everyone leaves as I walk over and pick up Matt's phone from the table. I need to make a call and make this right.
Next Day: P.O.V: Jade
I received a call late in the night from Artemis. Matt has been brainwashed and is now fighting for Lilith. She called saying that she needs help and that the team wouldn't understand...she needed my help. I shallow my nerves and make my way to our meet point. It was still dark and very early in the morning. "I'm here, where are you?" She calls out as I jump from the tree. "Hey, sis...you look like shit." I say as I see her arm in a sling and the burn mark on her shoulder. "Yeah." She says sadly as I walk over and embrace her comfortingly. "I'm sorry." I say, just trying to make her feel better. "It's ok...let's go find Matt." She says as she breaks from me. "How do you even know where he is?" I ask, honestly, how the hell would she know. She holds up her phone and with a smirk on my face, I narrow my eyes at the screen. A green dot, placed not far from here. I look at her with a bewildered look. "You put a tracer on him...clever." I say as she smiles. "Thanks...let's go. Did you bring it?" She asks as I slip the sword off my shoulder. "Got it...just hope that I don't have to use it."
We arrive at a warehouse, we hope onto the roof as I see a man walking about. Artemis holds me back as I raise an eyebrow at her. She points to his face as the man turns and reveals a grotesque slob of a face, mixed in with rock like skin. I curl my lip in disgust. Artemis reaches back and grabs the sword before silently unsheathing it. The weird man perks his head as he turns to us sharply, we hide as the weird man comes closer. "I can smell you, human filth...but the stench of Heavenly Fire has a foul smell that even demons find revolting." He says with a growl as a clawed hand appears beside me. His face zooms past as he stares at me. "Found you!" He screams as I take my sai and stab him in the eye, he groans on pain. Artemis shoots up and slices his arm off before slicing through his neck. The man falls to the ground as he glows with a blue light before disintegrating into small blue stars. We watch in amazement as I filter my hand through the stars. "What the hell?" I say as Artemis sheaths the sword back on my my back. "He was a demon. Come on, let's go." She says as she heads off towards the access door. I stare at the crispy ground as I shake my head, and follow after her. Just as Artemis was about to open the door, a dark chuckle sounds behind us. We turn sharply as I pull out my sais while Artis pulls out her bow. "Such little toys." Our weapons are yanked out of our hands as a tall figure steps into the light. I step back in fear at the woman's green, soulless gaze. Her horns stand proud, her clawed hands interlocked. But the most terrifying thing was the amused smile on her face.
"Where's Matt?" Artemis growls as the demon laughs. "You really think that you can take me, child? You're not very bright, are you?" She mocks as I scowl. No one insults my sister...but me. I sheath my sais and pull out the sword. "Give him back!" I shout as I level the sword agaisnt her. Her eyes glow with anger as her smile turns into a scowl. "You dare point that at me? I would seriously think about your life choices if I were you." She growls, every fibre of being is telling me to run...but fuck this bitch. "Yeah, that's not going to happen. Give me Matt." I say as she trails her eyes to my right, I follow her eyes as Matt steps out from beside us. I intake a deep breath, his eyes turn up to me and I see that his dark eyes are now the glowing green, like Lilith's. "You wanted him...here he is." Lilith says as she manifests a green chair and sits. "Go on...fight us now." She says as Matt swings out spiked chains as I deflect them away. Artemis fires an arrow which forms a hard gel substance. It hardens rapidly but Matt simply burns through it. He swings his chains as I dodge out of the way. Artemis tries to impede Matt but he simply catches the arrows and crushes them or simply burns them. I throw a smoke bomb as he is now surrounded by smoke. I move away to re-gather myself. The smoke clears as Matt's eyes trail around the roof. Artemis fires an arrow, this one explodes which makes Matt stumble. I remember back in Taipei when I injected poison into him. He burned it out but he was still affected. I take out a sai and a small bottle and dose it with a powerful neurotoxin. Let's hope this works. With his attention on Artemis. I sneak up to him and level the sai. He turns sharply, surprising me. I go to stab him but he grabs my arm, I go to swipe at him with the sword but he catches that arm as well. I look up at him as he looks at me with indifference. "Matt please...come back to me." I say to him as Lilith chuckles. "He's not yours anymore, assassin. He belongs to me. Now...kill her, slave." She says as Matt tightens his hands as I drop my weapons from the pressure. I feel my bones starting to crack. He lets go and grabs my neck with both hands.
I gasp for air as I tug at his hands but he tightens more so. I start see blurry white as I start to fade out of consciousness. Suddenly, he lets go, I get my breathing back as I suck in air greedily. I look up and see that the green has left Matt's eyes. "Jade?" He says with horror. "Slave! Kill her. I command you." Lilith shouts as she stands in anger. The green returns to his eyes, his skin burns away as the Rider reveals himself. He lights his hands on fire, he goes to finish me but I reach down and grab the sai and stab into his gut. The blade melts but the effect takes hold. He moves back with a stumble as his nerves being breaking. The green leaves his eyes again as he becomes Matt again. "Jade. You have to do it." He says as he groans as the green comes back, skin burns away. He reaches out to me but I deflect the hand and kick him in the face. I grab the sword but he grabs my neck and throws me away. Artemis runs in and fires a net arrow at him. He is wrapped in the net but he burns through it. He struggles to his feet as his dark eyes come back. "You know you have to. The sword...it will cut Lilith's magic. You have to." He says as Lilith goes to charge us but she is blocked by a purple and black aura. We look to see a young pale girl in the air, her eyes glowing with purple are keeping Lilith at bay. "Help him...I can't keep her at bay for much longer!" She shouts as Lilith tries to escape her confinement. "Half breed! I demand you release me!" Lilith says in anger as green energy encompasses her, she batters the shield as she tries to escape. I turn back to the Rider who has burned the poison out of his system, his green eyes alight with rage. Tears fall from my eyes as I grip the sword tightly. "I'm sorry." I whisper to myself as I rush over to him. "Jade! No!" Artemis shouts as the Rider swings his chains but I slide under and lift the sword, the point slipping through his guard. Our eyes are inches away from each other as we both gaze down. "Noooooooo!!!" Lilith shouts as her power breaks through the shield. Everyone par myself and Matt are sent flying. "I'll kill you for this!" Lilith shouts as she charges at me. Suddenly, she disappears in a portal of red and black energy.
I look back at the Rider as the green fire leaves his eyes, Matt's skin grows back as he looks into my eyes. He collapses to his knees as I follow him down. I pull the sword out of him and throw it away. I hold him close as his body gives out. He coughs up blood as he gazes up at me, my tears are steaming down my face as I cover the wound with my hand. "You're going to be ok. I promise. You're going to be ok." I say as I wipe my tears away. His hand weakly covers mine. "It's ok...it was the only way. I'm so sorry." He says as I shake my head. "No, you're going to be ok...you hear me?" I say. His hand reaches up and cups my cheek. I hold his hand as I tighten my eyes to keep the tears from falling. My heart is breaking into a thousand pieces...I open my eyes and see his staring into my eyes with love in his own. "I love you." He says as his eyes blaze over and his hand drops to the ground. "No, no, no, no! No! Matt, wake up! Please...don't leave me!" I cry out as I hold him close to me. Even now, I feel his warm body become cold. Two sets of arms wrap around me, but I couldn't care less. I need him.
P.O.V Change: Zarathos
Within my incorporeal form as I look down at my hands. I have my original form back. Dark hair, tanned light skin and a white energy forming clothing on my body. Instead of blue, I'm still coated in my orange flame. "You are free, brother." I hear Thanatos say as I turn and see him, Azrael and Phoenix standing before me. "The Evil has been purged from your aether, you can come home, brother." He says as I turn back and see Jade holding onto Matt's body. Artemis and Rachel are holding her as she breaks down. Even before, I could feel the love that she and Matt share for each other. There was no other way, it had to be done...then why do I feel that I've cheated these two from living. Because on reality, I have. "I'm sorry, my kin. But I can't leave. This human needs me, this world needs me and the innocents of this world need my help. I can't leave them." I say as I turn back to them. Instead of anger or annoyance, I see love, happiness and acceptance. "We knew that you would say that. Kali saw it." Azrael says with love as I shake my head with a smile on my face. "Kali and her foresight." I say with mirth as Phoenix approaches me. Even with my greater strength, Phoenix always made me unnerved, she has this presence of protection but also wrathful destruction. Not a sibling that I ever wanted to get on the bad side of. "Since you have shown that you still have the qualities that made you an Angel...we, as kin, have decided to restore your Angel form back to you...you are one of us again...brother. But, the eons you suffered as the Spirit of Vengeance will remain...the Evil may be gone but the rage hasn't left you. You will have to find Balance, find a way to keep the Darkness at bay." She says with love and worry, Phoenix has never been one for emotion, but to hear her say that...it warms me. Knowing of the conflict that the Hellfire and Heavenly Fire that will now intertwine within me, wasn't something I expected but it does make sense. Magic, even after so long will leave a faint mark on one's aether. Hellfire is no different, but I cheer internally at knowing that Trigon's dark taint on my soul has been banished from my soul.
I smile as my form starts to take on a more blue form. "Be wary brother...as long as Trigon lives, Evil will always be around, if he doesn't know already, he will find out that you are free of the Evil. He will try everything in his power and influence to bring you back under the thrall of corruption. The Heavenly Fire that you now have again will keep any influence at bay but beware your anger. Hellfire and Heavenly Fire together is a unpredictable mixture...always be aware of yourself." Thantos says as all three embrace me in a hug as I feel all the love and joy that they have. Tears start to fall as I finally embrace my kin as kin after eons of distance. My brother and sisters disappear as I turn back to Matt's body. A smile spreads across my face as I hold up my hand. I focus on the warm sensation, the same feeling that I haven't felt in eons...Heavenly Fire gently caresses my fingers, I gaze at them like I was seeing an old friend, in a layman's terms...I was. I turn from the blue flame and gaze at Matt's body...it's all up to him now.