A/N: Just wanted to answer a question I got from the last few chapters real quick before this chapter starts.
Noire12: Yes, all of the visions from Strange's second look into the universe will be involved (or already are involved ;)) in my stories. I would not reference a franchise that will not be used. Everything I reference is intended to be used in the future.
That being said, I haven't seen anyone get a list of every other universe referenced so far, and I'd like to see if anyone can do it!
Anyways, enjoy the newest chapter!
Previously, on The Defenders of Remnant...
Back on Earth, Spector also has a daughter and former spouse. And much like you, his choices in life led to him, albeit begrudgingly, cutting ties. Of course, also like you, that independence is only words, far from the reality he chooses to accept.
"You don't know me!" Raven exclaimed.
I know you better than you know yourself, Raven Branwen.
"What is your obsession with my family?" Raven asked back.
"Because I made the same mistakes you did in that department. And unlike me, you still have a chance to redeem yourself in their eyes."
Raven scoffed. "Oh, please. My brother hasn't trusted me for years and my daughter has hated me all her life. I'm not even sure Taiyang would ever want to see me again...
It would never work. Besides, she would never go back. Couldn't.
"I have a daughter," Marc simply said.
"Her name is Deatrice. Her mother's name is Marlene. My brother's name was Randall."
"You want to know how I know what you feel? Because of everything you still have left, everyone you still have the chance to see. I am cut off from my ex-wife and daughter because my life would only put them at risk. My lifestyle, my mental state, my stability, it would only harm them, and I've lost enough people. But because of that, my daughter doesn't know her father.
"I had to kill my own brother to save innocent lives, long after I thought he was already gone. I just had to be the one to ensure he really was dead after he'd become corrupted by an evil force. My own little brother…"
"Are you expecting pity from me?" Raven questioned.
I'm expecting understanding. In no world can I go back to them, but you can," Marc replied.
"As much as I can admire your optimism, I can't.
"If the choices you made before were the right ones. And if you really think there is no way to stop Salem, that the world will inevitably end, then there is no future, and the past you're so afraid to look back at will be all you have."
"If you're gonna have a new name, we shouldn't be the ones to pick it for you. It should come from you," Blake said. "What do you have in mind?"
"I haven't given it much thought yet…" Tarantula glanced away nervously
"Don't worry, we'll work on it. Until then, how about we just call you BT?" Peter suggested.
"You think I'm a threat. To you, To Salem, and most importantly, to Cinder. Am I close?"
"Y-Yes," She stammered.
I am a threat. But not to you." He walked right up to Emerald and looked down at her. This startled her and she stepped back and gripped one of her weapons, a sudden panic washing over her.
"Unless you make me one."
What do you need?" Raven asked.
"We need to find the remaining enhanced faunus, named Sabretooth. He was the only one to escape during the train attack," Marc answered.
"So… where do we start?"
The Defenders of Remnant
Chapter 33: Moonfall
A few days passed, enough where the day that Fisk's collider goes online was merely tomorrow. Luke wanted to go sooner, as soon as they found out about Merlot Industries. Matt and Danny were against it, though. If the Tinkerer finished work on the collider, they would have a reliable way to return to Earth once Fisk, Tinkerer, Taskmaster and Electro were all apprehended, half of whom would ideally be dealt with on the very night they gain control of the collider. As dark as it was to say, Danny had pointed out that with Prowler and the Lizard dead and Bullseye assumed so as well, that left less criminals for them to round up than what they started with.
As for BT, whose existence was still hidden from everyone outside of Peter, Penny and Team RWBY (and Castle, but everyone would rather black him out of their memories if they could), he was settling in easier and easier with each day. Despite Weiss and Blake being the less warm or socially able of the team, with that honor going to the sisters who were still away in Patch. If anything, however, that may have helped. With Weiss and Blake being as socially inept (Weiss) or awkward (Blake), it didn't matter to BT, who didn't have much experience in social interaction anyway. If anything, it showed the effort they were putting in to communicate with him, make him feel comfortable, safe.
Currently, the trio of Peter, Weiss and BT sat in Peter's lab, with Peter at work by himself while Weiss and BT watched the news on a TV monitor hung up from the ceiling.
"So, how have you been feeling?" Weiss asked BT.
"Better. S-Somewhat, at least… thanks to you guys," BT replied.
"It's my genuine pleasure. You need to learn about the world, and I want to help you all I can," Weiss smiled. "I dread what might've happened to you had you not broken off from those horrible people."
"I-I try not to think about it, though I don't know what else to think about…"
"Come up with a name yet?" Peter asked from his workstation.
"No… I've tried to think, but my mind just… won't focus…"
"Don't fret about it. When you really need a name, it'll come to you. It'll just take patience," Weiss assured BT.
"I-I just want to burn the past as fast as I can, and my old name has to go if that's going to h-happen."
"It's not going to come to you instantly. Just give it time," Weiss replied.
"How long? I don't want to be stuck as Black Tarantula forever!"
"And you won't be. It's only been a few days. Patience is a virtue, and having it will aid you well."
"Hmm…" BT simply responded.
"Hey, Weiss, come here for a sec," Peter beckoned to the heiress. Weiss gave BT a smile before standing up and stepping over to Peter.
"What is it?" She asked.
"I've been backtracking the old systems to see if there was anything noticeable at Merlot industries over the past few months, and for a while there was nothing, then look at this…" Peter answered. He activated a holographic display of the abandoned tech conglomerate, sitting and collecting greenery back at Mountain Glenn. Four dates appear next to the digital model. "The building was clear of any significant energy spikes except on these four days. Any of them look familiar?"
"That first day… that was the day of initiation!" Weiss exclaimed.
"Yeah. The other days are just as interesting," Peter said. "The second was our fight with Torchwick under the highway, then the day of the Vytal Dance, then the last one was the day of the plaza attack. And what do those days have in common?"
"They were days when we were all preoccupied," Weiss answered. "During initiation, the school staff would be too busy handling the new students and starting the new term. We were caught up in looking for Blake when the dock robbery occurred…"
"We were too focused on Torchwick that third night, during the dance most of the staff from the four kingdoms were either working or attending the dance, and then the plaza attack speaks for itself," Peter continued. "They chose days where both sides were either too busy or not active enough to notice them testing their collider. And if they're hole-punching reality to make a way back home, that explains why a symbiote that wasn't my Venom showed up and attached himself to Cardin. He must've come through a breach caused by the tests."
"It also means Kingpin has been trying to get home long before he was shot off the pier, and Tinkerer has been keeping up on it," Weiss added.
"Yeah, well… I'm still not fully convinced it's Fisk."
"That voice recording sounded pretty convincing to me," Weiss countered.
"Yeah, and I feel like that's the point. Fisk keeps tabs on all of his hired hands, so he had to have known Prowler was on the run and that contacting him directly was a bad idea. It doesn't make sense."
"So, what, you think Fisk, or whoever this is supposed to be, wanted Prowler to get caught by Taskmaster?"
"Yeah, maybe. I mean, clearly the collider part is true. I don't know what else could be making that type of energy that early in our time here…"
"But the Tinkerer does…" BT said. The other two turned to see him out of his seat, standing not too far behind them. "I mean, if he made the collider for Kingpin, he would still be the one keeping up on it, right?"
"Yeah, but I don't think he's alone either. He wouldn't wave the red flag for Taskmaster to get him. He's too smart for that. Ugh, none of this adds up no matter how I look at it…" Peter groaned as he held his head in his hands, frustrated that he couldn't get to the bottom of things.
"Look, we'll be going there tomorrow night anyway. We'll find out all we need to know when we stop Tinkerer and take that collider out of his hands," Weiss said, placing her hands on her hips.
"'We'?" Peter repeated.
"Well, yeah! Blake and I are coming with you to stop Tinkerer and whoever he's working with now," Weiss said.
"That may have been the case before, Weiss, but now I need both of you here to keep an eye on BT. Even with this whole collider business possibly being bait for Taskmaster, that won't stop whoever else is coming for BT while we're gone."
"You can't just sideline us! You aren't our leader!" Weiss exclaimed.
"No, I'm not your leader. Your leader is over a hundred miles away. But I am your friend, and technically your superior, so I both ask and order you to stay here and watch BT. He is just as important as stopping the collider."
"In what way are you my superior?" Weiss replied with a furrowed brow and crossed arms, her stance becoming uptight and tense.
"Look. Weiss, I'm not sidelinging you. I'm giving you a job that is just as important. If they get their hands back on BT, they'll either kill him or find a more permanent way to control him. If we really want to help him be free, we cannot let him out of our sight until this all blows over," Peter insisted.
"And he can hear both of you," BT said. "Shouldn't I get a say in this?"
Peter sighed. "Look, I'm not trying to make choices for anybody here-"
"Sure doesn't sound like it," Weiss commented.
"- but if something happens out there, I need you and Blake here to keep him secret and safe. Because, BT," Peter turns to his younger, cloned self, "you have a target on your back, and one step off campus, heck, even out of our sight could mean death for you. I'm not trying to control you, I'm not them. I just don't want you to throw yourself right into their crosshairs, especially when there's a possibility that Taskmaster himself could be there. I'm not telling, I'm just asking: please stay here under Weiss and Blake's protection."
BT looked away for a moment, then a sudden change of expression came across his face. "What is it?" Weiss asked.
"The surges, the tests of the collider, they fell on those days, but something doesn't add up," BT replied.
"What do you mean?" Peter questioned.
"Tinkerer was playing two sides when working with Taskmaster and Torchwick, so he'd know about the train. But even though things like initiation and the dance are public events, he would have had to have precise timing to run his tests without being noticed, especially with Atlas in the sky. Also, how would he know about the investigation on Torchwick that led to the highway fight?"
"That's… actually true…" Weiss replied, bringing her hand to her chin in curious thought.
"The only way Tinkerer would have known you were occupied those days-" BT started.
"-would be if they had someone on the inside…" Peter finished.
"And someone close…" Weiss added. "You don't think it's someone on JNPR, do you?"
"No, I don't. If I had to guess, it might be a teacher, or someone else posing as a student, but definitely not our friends."
"Thank goodness…" Weiss sighed in relief.
"I need to tell the other's about this…" Peter said.
Taskmaster stared at a map of the entire kingdom intently, his gaze focusing on the map and only the map, so much so he didn't even notice Cinder enter behind him. "Anthony. You didn't join us for dinner."
"Busy," He simply replied.
"With what?" Cinder asked.
"Mason. We lost the coordinates, so I had to figure out where he was on my own."
"And?" Cinder raised an eyebrow.
Anthony gestured to a red circle on the map, and Cinder followed the gesture. "The abandoned Merlot Industries tower, back in Glenn. He was working in secret right under our noses, and we gave him the perfect cover by moving the operation there!"
"Well, if you're so sure, then we know where he is," Cinder said. "We can make a move on the intended meeting date tomorrow."
"No, we need to go now!" Anthony snapped.
"Our enemy has the coordinates as well. They will likely go on the intended date to ensure this new collider of theirs is active. If we go at the same time, then their conflict will give us enough time to not only kill Mason, but destroy the collider in the process," Cinder pointed out.
"Rrrg…" Anthony growled impatiently and angrily. He had been played a fool by both Mason and Fisk, and wanted to make damn sure both were dead as soon as he could.
"Patience, Anthony. They will be taken care of, we just have to make use of the best opportunity presented to us, and that opportunity is tomorrow."
"Fine… If that's the case, send the kids back out to look for Tarantula. I want that clone found," Taskmaster ordered. At this, Cinder scowled.
"As I recall, we are equal partners in this operation. You don't command me."
"Is this something you really want to argue about now?" Anthony questioned.
"We have the time," Cinder replied. "If my face and name hasn't already been plastered on VNN's morning broadcast, then that means the implant worked, and Tarantula has no memory of what our plans are. And I'm sure Spider-Man wouldn't want word of a clown of himself getting out there, so he'll keep his mouth shut too. For today, we have nothing to worry about. Tomorrow is another day."
"Then what is today supposed to be spent on?" Anthony asked.
"Something we should've done already. Emerald and Mercury don't trust you," Cinder said.
"The only smart thing they've done," Anthony commented. "What's your point?"
"Make them trust you," Cinder said. "They can say they follow my lead however many times they want, but their disdain for you is hardly hidden."
"As I've noticed. I've already warned Emerald, I'm only her enemy if she makes me one."
"Then show them that. Show them that you are not so different from them."
"In case you haven't noticed, Cinder, we're all not exactly the most open-hearted people. Besides, I have better things to do," Anthony said.
"I thought we just discussed-" Cinder started to reply, but then Anthony's scroll went off. He pulled it out of his pocket and glanced at it briefly before pocketing it again and grabbing the rest of his gear. "What are you doing?"
"Tinkerer's pet project Sabretooth survived the train, but then dropped off the grid. I had a feeling he went AWOL on us, but I wasn't sure how until we learned Mason was lying through his teeth, so I've had White Fang working around the clock to track him down, and now they have him," Anthony answered.
"Where did they track dear old Tuksen down to?" Cinder asked.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Anthony replied.
Marc and Raven stood outside of a small, abandoned shop in downtown vale. Above the doorway was a sign that read Tuksen's Book Trade, and in smaller text under the bolded establishment name, Home to Every Book Under the Sun.
"How idiotic does he have to be?" Raven questioned.
"Yeah, I wouldn't call hiding in your own abandoned bookstore the brightest idea either," Marc agreed. "I'm amazed Taskmaster hasn't found him yet."
"I'm amazed it took us this long to find him," Raven added with a scowl.
"Not my proudest moment either. C'mon, let's go."
"What approach should we take?" Raven questioned. Marc replied by simply approaching the front door and kicking it inwards, blowing the wood of fit's metal hinges and slamming it into the floor. "I see we took the subtle approach," Raven's sarcasm noted.
"He's an enhanced faunus. Something tells me he already knew we were here," Marc said as he entered the dark, dusty bookstore. He entered the lobby and looked around slowly, scanning every inch of what could be seen, lit by the moonlight pouring in. Nothing he could see out of the ordinary, but most of the building was cast in shadow and darkness too thick to see through. "Close the door. Don't want him sneaking past us."
Raven nodded and pushed the front door closed, leaving only them and the darkness of the building, until a small orb of flame sparked to life in her palm, casting an orange-red light into the pitch black of the bookstore. "At least that's one perk of these powers," Raven said.
"Well, sparky, since you have the light, you get to look behind the counter. I'll watch the door," Marc said snarkily.
"Yeah, right…" Raven deadpanned before moving forward into the store, keeping her lit hand forward and her free hand on the hilt of her weapon, ready to draw it at a moment's notice. She glanced behind the front counter, and saw nothing, then turned to the two doors behind the counter. She slowly walked towards the left-most door, gripped the metal handle tightly, and slowly began to open the door. Before she could open it fully and cast light on the back room, a mass of muscle rammed into the door, throwing Raven off her balance and pushing her back into the counter. A clawed hand smashed her head into the counter while she was still stunned as Sabretooth leapt over her.
Marc saw the silhouetted figure of the enhanced faunus lunge forward towards him and raised his guard. Marc was able to hold most of Sabretooth's bulky figure back, but the faunus kicked out, hitting Marc in the torso and pushing them against the wall. Sabretooth then took the opportunity to pull himself closer and dug his sharp fangs into Marc's neck, piercing the cloth of his suit and digging deep into his nape. Marc could feel the teeth tear through something vital.
Raven recovered and drew her weapon before leaping over the counter and slashing Sabretooth's back, cutting it open. Tuksen pulled away from Marc and yelled in pain, giving Marc enough time to grip Tuksen and bash his skull into Tuksen's face, forcing him off of him briefly. Tuksen snarled and leapt out the window, shattering the glass, before bolting away.
"Dammit!" Marc cursed.
"Are you alright?" Raven went to his side.
"Forget me, get Tuksen!" Marc snapped. Raven scowled at the vigilante, but then swiftly jumped outside and gave Tuksen chase. Marc groaned in pain and palmed the wound on his neck, then pulled his hand away to spot blood staging his white glove. His vision began to blur and his balance felt uneven. "Shit…"
His incisors must have pierced our left carotid artery, Steven deduced. It is only a matter of time before our brain begins to shut down from lack of oxygen, one carotid artery isn't enough to sustain it!
"Just shut up… I can make it!" Marc growled before fully getting back to his feet and slipping out the door, holding his still-bleeding neck in pain. He was looking down, trying to focus his vision, but when he looked up, he was greeted with a worrying sight.
"Spector," Taskmaster greeted coldly. "Or should I say Steven? Jake?"
"Get the hell out of my way," Marc growled.
"Guess it won't matter. You'll be dead soon enough," Taskmaster said before pulling his hilt off his belt and flipping the switch to extend the orange blade. Marc quickly grabs three moon darts from his belt and throws them, but two of them missed Taskmaster entirely, while he simply sliced the third away with his weapon.
"Dammit…" Marc cursed under his breath. His balance was off, and his vision was going in and out of blurriness again.
"You're off your game," Taskmaster said. "I'd say it's your age finally catching up to you, but I'm sure the pierced artery isn't helping things." Marc rushed up and took a swing, but Taskmaster sidestepped him quickly before kneeing him in the stomach, blasting the air from Marc's lungs and even pushing him off the ground. Marc hacked as he fell to the ground, but quickly tried to force himself back up. Taskmaster scoffed. "This is pathetic. The great Marc Spector, Khonshu's fist of vengeance, worn down by a single wound, albeit fatal." Taskmaster winded up and kicked Marc in the ribs, creating a cracking sound and putting Marc back down. Marc held the impacted ribs and rolled over on his back.
"You were a soldier, once. A mercenary. A killer!" Taskmaster exclaimed before bringing his foot up and starting to stomp down, but Marc catches the foot and pushes back. Taskmaster, however, flips over Marc then draws a knife from his belt, then shoves the knife between the fibers of the suit protecting the undamaged side of his ribcage. Marc yells out in pain before gripping the arm with the knife tightly and kicking high, aiming for Taskmaster's head. Taskmaster dodged it, however, then ripped the blade out only to stab in between another pair of ribs. "Now look how soft you are… breakable. Killable. Weak. To think you've beaten me before."
"I'll kick your ass again…" Marc growled as he stumbled away and got back to his feet. He raised his fists up in preparation to fight.
"Come on, Spector, get real. You're bleeding out and your brain is losing more oxygen by the second. In five minutes, your body will give up on you. In ten, you'll be brain dead. It'll only take a few more for you to bleed out with the wounds you have now."
"Plenty of time for me to-" Marc hacks up blood, staining his mask with the red blood and mucus. He tore off his mask and pulled his hood off his head. "-kick your ass."
"I almost feel pity for you. You'd rather go out like a rabid animal in a corner than accept reality."
"I won't accept your reality," Marc growled.
"There is no 'my' reality, Marc. There's just 'the' reality, which is that your brain is starting to feel the lack of oxygen pumping through it. Even if I don't kill you, that will," Taskmaster replied.
"Not if…" Marc started to say, but then his stature slightly changed, his heavy breathing stopped, and his tone of voice then changed. "Not if I kill you first."
"I thought you didn't kill anymore," Taskmaster remarked.
"That's Marc's rule… not mine," Jake snarled.
Jake, what the hell do you think you're doing?! Marc exclaimed.
Keeping us alive. A little longer, at least, Jake replied.
We are not going to kill!
It's us or him, Marc, and I choose us! Jake snapped. Jake rushed forward like a battering ram, but Taskmaster sidestepped the charge. However, during the charge, Jake grabbed hold of Taskmaster's armor and pulled him to the ground with him. Jake leapt up and pinned down Taskmaster before delivering a blow to his helmet that cracked the visor, but before a second was thrown, Taskmaster kicked the stab wounds between Jake's ribs, forcing a howl of pain from him. Taskmaster then smashed his head into Jake's throat, staggering him and forcing more blood from the artery wound. He then pulled both legs inward before using both to kick Jake off of him.
Taskmaster flipped himself back to his feet while Jake was hunched over, coughing up more blood from his mouth while more still dripped onto the road from his neck, even faster than before. "You had maybe five minutes until your body gave up. Now you're down to about three, and counting."
"Still enough time to crack that metal skull of yours…" Jake replied before getting back to his looked forward, but his vision was almost entirely blurry at this point. He couldn't see straight. Taskmaster was just a collection of blurred smudges in his vision among the rest.
You must stay focused! Khonshu boomed.
Someone shut the bird up before I have to, Jake threatened.
"I bet you can barely see me right now," Taskmaster deduced. "Which actually probably means you have two minutes."
Jake was done talking now. He pulled a grappling hook from his utility belt and quickly fired it towards Taskmaster, but he caught the hook. Jake quickly pressed the switch again and let go though, and the handle of it flew back to the hook's end. "Now come on, what was that supposed to-" Taskmaster started to say, then after a short beep, it exploded like a small bomb in his hand, scorching the armor and stunning him momentarily. Jake took the opportunity to charge again, and this time it connected. He rammed Taskmaster into the wall, not only crashing him into it but cracking the stone of the wall as well. Now thatJake had him, he started unleashing blow after violent blow onto Taskmaster anywhere he could. Torso, stomach, head, anywhere. Each connected hard, the impacts creating disturbing sounds.
But Jake was running short on breath. His balance started to sway, and soon enough, his hits began to miss, his aim destroyed. He began to slow, and this gave Taskmaster the chance to counter attack. Taskmaster caught one of the swings with one hand, then used the other to punch the stab wounds again, breaking Jake's focus even further. As Jake stumbled backwards, Taskmaster also took a chance to breathe, before rushing over, grabbing Jake and throwing him through the one unbroken window in front of Tuksen's, shattering the glass and spraying it across the store's interior.
Jake vomited out a mouthful of blood before pushing himself up with his arms, but he couldn't go further. His body felt like a thousand pounds, too heavy to go on.
Dammit, Jake! Give me control! Marc cursed. After a brief moment, the body was once again in control of Marc Spector. The pain and nausea hit him all at once, but he forced through it and slowly, somehow, got back to his feet.
"You always could take a hit," Taskmaster said as he walked in through the front door. "You based your entire fighting style around it. Take the hit in order to get close to your opponent and deal your own damage. That's why I never liked copying you. You have such stubbornness paired with insanity that I can't even hope to mimic."
"This isn't over…" Marc said as he began to approach to continue the battle, but then his knees buckled under him and he collapsed to the floor, unable to pick himself back up.
"I'm afraid it is. You spent a good minute wailing on me back there. But the amount of effort and oxygen you put into doing so hastened the process. Your body has given up on you. You're barely conscious. Barely alive. And now it's time for me to speed this up to the end." Taskmaster drew his sword again and stood over Marc. He hauled him up onto his knees, but somehow, somehow Marc had enough strength to throw another punch. This one shattered the right-hand side of his orange visor, leaving an opening where his eye peeked through.
"I'm not done yet…!" Marc exclaimed.
Taskmaster wheeled back, lifted Marc up, and then, before Marc could fully process it, the orange blade of his sword was run through him. Marc tried to speak, let out a sound, but his throat only made guttural noises.
Blood dripped from the other end of the blade as it peeked out of his back. The room that was once filled with the crashing sounds of violence, suddenly fell into silence.
Taskmaster kneeled down to eye level with Marc, and the single eye that peered from the darkness of what lay beneath the metal helmet met both of Marc's. "Here's the thing about rabid animals… they get put down."
Marc glazed down at the bright blade that still sat lodged into his body, with the hilt in Taskmaster's grip. "I almost feel bad. But don't worry, Marc. When this is all over, maybe I will go back to Earth one last time, just so I can give my condolences to Marlene." He said with such an icy venom, it chilled Marc's very soul. He looked back up and tried to reach for Taskmaster's throat, but Taskmaster then pushed the blade in even deeper, forcing more blood from the wound as more waterfalls of blood poured from Marc's mouth.
"I'm sure she would love to know how you died. I wonder if she'll cheer or scream before I give her the firsthand experience."
"B-Bastard…" Marc gargled. Taskmaster just darkly chuckled before pulling his blade out of Marc and kicking him backwards, laying him out flat.
"Goodbye… Moon Knight." Taskmaster wiped his blade clean of blood along the joint of his off-arm before retracting the blade and exiting the book store.
Marc stared up at the ceiling for what felt like an eternity, his body going numb and his mind feeling blank, when another voice was heard, just barely past his limited hearing range now.
"Spector! Marc!" Raven's voice echoed in his ears. Sone, a blurred figure stood over him before crouching down. "Marc! By the gods…"
"Ra…ven…." Marc rasped. The metallic taste of his own blood in his mouth was starting to go away, and the pain from his wounds was turning numb.
"Marc! Stay with me!"
You do not die yet, Marc Spector! Your duty is not done! Khonshu roared in his head.
"Mar…lene…" Marc said to no one in particular. He was starting to become delusional.
"Spector, you stay with me, dammit! We need to get you medical attention!" Raven exclaimed.
Marc? Are you with us? Steven asked.
I couldn't do it… Jake muttered to himself.
This is not your time, Marc Spector, Khonshu claimed.
I don't think that's our choice anymore, Marc replied. It's funny really. To think that I'd get to see my daughter grow up. Our daughter. We didn't deserve that.
What do you mean? Steven asked.
We've done horrible things, Steven. And this…
"This is our punishment…" Marc said aloud.
"I don't care if you think you deserve this, stay awake! Keep your eyes open," Raven insisted.
If this is the grand plan for us in the universe… there's not much we can do to change it, Steven relented. Especially now.
Jake disagreed. No, we don't get to give up here! I want to see our daughter! I didn't fight for this long just to-
And then he was gone. Jake's resistant cries weren't even left with an echo.
You are my servant, Human! You will not die until I let you! Khonshu howled.
Just shut it, will you, old bird? We've bled for you, and now we die for you. How's that for gratitude? Steven snapped back.
And then he, too, was gone. Only Marc remained. And he was now silent.
It seems my power over you has reached its end, then, Khonshu relented.
You're just sad you don't have your weapon anymore, Marc replied. And you know what? Knowing that you will for once in your sad life have no control, no say in what happens, Khonshu? Marc looked at the god with contempt, but also with smugness. That's the greatest parting gift I could ask for.
Defiant until the end, it would seem, Khonshu growled.
And then he was gone.
Raven saw his eyes dilate and the colors leave, and only then did she have to accept that Marc Spector was gone. She let out a deep sigh and slowly reached down to close his eyelids.
"May you find peace, Marc Spector…" She oddly found herself with a catch in her throat, and a deep feeling of sorrow, things she hadn't felt in a long time. Part of her even wished that this whole situation was a fabrication, unreal.
She slowly stood back up and took a few steps outside to see where she left Tuksen tied up, only to find the enhanced faunus with an arrow in his head. Tuksen, Remnant's Sabretooth, was dead as well. And now the entire purpose for them coming here tonight, had been lost, for too high a cost.
This broke Raven's composure. All that soul searching and hard work, for letting herself become tied to someone again, just for the purpose of it all to mean absolutely nothing, exactly why she cut herself off from the rest of the world in the first place. There was no winning in this world. And yet she had let it happen. She had almost let Marc become an ally, a friend. And now…
She let out a blood curdling scream that fell on no ears but those of the dead.
Tonight, she remembered why.
Tonight, a maiden was unleashed.
Tonight, a knight had fallen.
Anthony tore off the beaten and scorched armor. His body was sore, in pain. Fighting Moon knight had always been a challenge for him. He was unpredictable, ruthless, impractical.
But that was over now. Jessica Jones was hospitalized, and the Moon Knight was dead.
That left four. Four heroes left, and then Vale would have no more worthy defenders to protect them.
"You're back early," Cinder said. He turned to face her, and she noticed the damage to his helmet. "Looks like you had an eventful evening."
"Tuksen will no longer be a problem with an arrow through his brain," Anthony replied.
"That's what I like to hear. But I don't believe he did this to you."
Anthony took a single breath before answering. "Moon Knight is dead." Cinder had a shocked expression come across her face.
"I… wasn't expecting that," She responded. "But that is good news. You killed an enemy. Even better, it was one not in the public eye."
"The most we'll get out of it is Atlas being more careful. Not that it will matter, Torchwick is already in position."
"We are breaking them, and they're so focused on what's put in front of them, they don't care to look for the knife at their back," Cinder remarked.
"So… you wanted me to talk to the kids?" Anthony said.
"Yes, but… are you sure? If you're not up for it, I'd rather avoid the disaster."
"They don't trust me. Hell, they don't even know what I look like. So if we're going to keep working together, I need them to know I'm not the enemy."
"Very well," Cinder nodded. "I'll bring them in."
After a few minutes, sitting before Cinder and Anthony were Emerald and Mercury, neither of the latter too pleased to be seeing Anthony. "What do you want with us, skull face?" Mercury asked.
"You two don't trust me. At all," Anthony said.
"You can say that again," Emerald replied. "We don't trust anybody, except Cinder."
"Well, that's going to stop. Now," Cinder said. "Like it or not, Anthony is part of our group now, accepted by even Salem herself."
"So if we're gonna be all in on this, I can't be watching my back in case either of you try to pull something. So…" Anthony paused before reaching up and removing his helmet, much to the surprise of the two younger criminals in the room. He set it down on the table in front of them, allowing them to see his face clearly. The tanned skin, the scar and whitened eye, all of it. "No more secrets. No more masks between us. From now on, I'll be training you alongside Cinder, and we're going to figure out how to work together."
"You haven't done a whole lot recently to prove that you really want to be part of all this," Mercury remarked. "Sure, you tortured the Spider-Kid, but that was personal."
"This wasn't," Anthony said before tossing the bloodied face mask of Moon Knight onto the table. Emerald covered her mouth a bit, while Mercury seemed unfazed, though he did raise an eyebrow. "I had nothing personal with the Moon Knight, but now he lays dead in a bookstore. I warned you in particular before, Emerald; I am not an enemy, unless you make me one."
The two younger criminals traded glances between one another.
"So… do we have an understanding?" Anthony questioned.
The two looked back forward and gave small nods.
At this, Anthony smirked an evil smirk. "Good. Then get ready. Because tomorrow? I'm going to teach you both how to kill the Defenders."