Here you have it, the final chapter. Huge thank you to everyone who reviewed and made it this far. This took a very long time to write so i hope you enjoy. 10k words of pure action.
Move! Move! Move!" Brooklyn yells as he scrambles for cover behind a car at seventh avenue, five SWAT cops following behind. It's currently nighttime with the only lightning coming from the warm lights of the street's lamppost, the different fires throughout the city, and the red light of the eclipse on the sky.
"What is this thing?" One of the cops wonders, a visible fear in his eyes. Brooklyn looks at the rest of his men, all of them having a similar look. However, he must remain cool, as a leader should.
"Our weapons do not harm him!" Another one adds.
"I want everyone here, you hear me? Every SWAT unit must be here, fighting this thing. That should buy us enough time to finish with the evacuation, is it clear?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Sir, there's still a lot of people trapped in the buildings, they won't make in time."
Brooklyn thinks. "Get in contact with the national guard! They need to know what is happening here. We need them."
"Sir, we have our men surrounding the thing from all directions."
Brooklyn nods. He grabs his radio. "Everyone onward! Now! Now! Now!"
With that gets up, leaving his hiding spot and sprints forward, his men following closely. There in the distance, a massive grey creature, red eyes, around ten feet, is causing havoc, the Amazo. Pedestrians fleeing in panic, cars skidding and trying to turn around. Multiple buildings in fire around the android. Eyes wide open, expressions of horror and amazement on the cop's face.
"Fire!" Brooklyn orders as all his men positioned all around the android start firing countless bullets from their machine guns.
The Amazo just looks at them, the bullets not harming it as they bounce off its armor.
"They don't do nothing!" One of the cops yells.
The Amazo walks to a nearby lamppost and rips it off the floor. Brooklyn widens his eyes. The android moves to a couple of cops and swats them aside like mosquitoes. It then moves to Brooklyn and his men and swats the lamppost again. Brooklyn just in time manages to duck, but his men go flying.
He moves for cover behind a car. Out of breath, panic on his face. He scrambles for his radio. "We need the national guard here! We're being massacred!" He yells sounding desperate.
Up on a close building, a cop has a rocket launcher pointing at the Amazo. "Have a clear shot." He puts his hand on the trigger and fires.
The missile travels to the Amazo, but just before it can hit it, the android turns around and catches it, the explosion going off without hurting it. The cop looks at it wide eyed. He prepares another missile, when suddenly he is shot down.
Down at the street level, an army of men in red hoodies is following Amazo, machine guns in hand.
"Back!" Brooklyn orders, it's just too much. "Go back!" He takes out a grenade and throws it at the android. It catches the grenade; however, it quickly explodes in a smoke cloud, helping the lieutenant and cops run away.
Amazo grabs a close cab and throws it at two cops crashing them. It then grabs and whole bus, lifts it up its head and throws it at Brooklyn. He covers his face, already accepting his fate. When suddenly a dark figure pushes him away from the bus. Then a feminine figure lands in front of Amazo delivering a forceful blow with her shield sending it back.
Brooklyn looks up, there in front of him is the figure of Nightwing.
"Get your men out of here, focus on helping with the evacuation" the hero orders. A still stunned Brooklyn can only nod as Nightwing turns back to the android. There in front is Troia delivering blow after blow to Amazo, the android, barely being able to stop her. He looks up where some of the Billys are on the side buildings. In that moment, they're blown off the top by an explosive arrow from Arsenal.
Nightwing touches his earpiece. "Everyone focus on your assignment, be careful." He then turns to the side where he notices a woman trapped inside a car. He punches the glass, opens the door and carries her outside.
Troia delivers an uppercut, followed by another punch to Amazo, however, it catches her, punches her hard, grabs her by the hair and slams her against the floor. Then it throws her against a building destroying it completely.
Aqualad jumps from behind at the android and using his swords cuts it in the back. Amazo quickly swats at him, but he ducks. Taking advantage of its distraction, Victor then fires his sonic canon, hitting it and sending it against a building.
Amazo gets up and looks at its right arm. Suddenly it starts changing to a sonic canon similar to Victors. Victor widens his eyes. The android fires at him sending him flying. It then moves to the side and fires at Aqualad who manages to move away from the blast.
Kid Flash makes it to Troia and helps her up. She brushes him off, not a happy look on her face, already starting to hate this robot.
"You okay?"
Troia spits blood. "Yeah…" She turns to him. "I don't want you nowhere close to that thing, the last thing we want is for it to gain superspeed."
"Roger."
"See if you can help the police the evacuation…"
Kid Flash is gone before she can finish the order. He meets a couple of Billys firing their machine guns and sends them flying using his superspeed. He then passes right next to Kory and Nightwing, who are fighting an army of Billy by themselves.
Nightwing blocks an incoming attack, then elbows him in the face and delivers a roundhouse kick. He then cartwheels back, avoiding incoming fire, and throws a batarang at them. Kory, for her part delivers a forceful punch sending a Billy flying against another Billy. Another one aims at her, but a green bat comes flying and bites him the nose, allowing Kory to fire an energy blast to him.
Nightwing delivers two quick blows to a Billy using his sticks. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, I made my choice" he says without looking at Kory.
"About what?" She asks mid punch.
He punches a Billy, turns to her and grabs her hands together. "Kory Anders, will you marry me?"
Kory is surprised, however she beams the brightest smiles ever produced on earth. She nods. "I will." No more thinking needed.
Nightwing smiles. "Great."
More fires comes at them forcing them to separate and fight more Billys. Kory avoids a round of bullets and fires another beam.
"Richard Grayson…" Punch. "… do you take me…" Punch. "…as your wife?"
Nightwing does a cartwheel summersaulting him into a flying kick to the head of Billy, and lands on his back. He quickly gets up with a jump. "I will" he answers with a smile.
Kory levitates and does a full round firing her beam in all directions sending all close Billys flying. She then flies at him and grabs him by the front of his suit. Both smiles. They close their eyes and start leaning forward, when suddenly a bullet passes right between them. Both stop and turn in the direction it came. Nightwing takes out a batarang and throws it the Billy who fired. They again face each other, close their eyes and lean forward. Their lips meeting up in a kiss, a kiss full of love, as they feel the other. The whole world fading around, no more arguments, no end of the world for now, just the other. The bullets missing them.
Kid Flash runs around, a smile on his face. He gently touches the bullets coming at them making them miss the couple.
Gar in his bat form appears to smile.
They break the kiss and just look at each other, a smile on each of their faces.
"I love you."
"I love you as well."
They nod at each other and break apart, and back to fighting the rest of Billys.
Arsenal is on top of one of the buildings, away from all the action. With his archer vision he spots ten moving objects approaching from the sky in the distance. He touches his earpiece.
"Guys, I have eyes on ten Blackhawks approaching from the east, they have some heavy weaponry."
"Noted, keep an eye on them, don't shoot until you are certain they are under his control" comes Nightwing's voice through the earpiece.
"Gotcha, boss." He draws an arrow, already expecting the worst.
Trigon is levitating above the Tower. He also feels the ten Blackhawks approaching. He smirks, just in time. He closes his eyes concentrating.
The commander in chief of the mission is inside one of the choppers, giving his team the briefing: stop a rogue android and get as many civilians as possible out of danger. Suddenly he clutches his head, there's a voice inside his head. He looks up, two pairs of red eyes on his face. All the soldiers around have the same red eyes.
"That should keep them busy." Trigon turns back to the red moon and closes his eyes. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…" he begins chanting.
Washington DC, the President and his staff are at the presidential bunker below the White House, watching the point of view of each of the soldiers in the mission. After he had been informed about the attack at Jump City, he had not doubted in dispatching troops; however, it seems they may need more.
He has his arms crossed as he studies the situation. In the distance, he can see the smoke coming out of the city. He covers his mouth. So, many deaths.
His head also starts hurting as he clutches.
"Mr. President, are you alright?" His chief of staff asks him trying to help him up. The whole room turns to him.
For an instant, two pairs of red eyes flash in the President's face, but they quickly fade away. He looks around.
"Yeah, I'm alright." He gets up and focuses back on the screen. What was that?
"Are you sure, sir?"
"Yeah, can you get me a glass of water?" He asks trying to play it cool.
To the side a few feet from him is the control panel to access the country's nuclear arsenal.
Nightwing throws a roundhouse kick to a Billy. He then looks up in front of where, at the top of the Tower he can spot the figure of Raven, or rather, Trigon right now. He turns to Kory and Gar, who are a few feet from him fighting more Billys.
"We made our presence known, we move." They nod.
Kory lights up a green beam tracing a circle on the asphalt and creating a hole. She jumps down. Gar, still in bat form, follows her.
Nightwing is about to jump too when he stops. He turns around to Troia. They make eye contact.
She nods. "Go, we'll be okay."
He nods back. He presses his arms to his body and jumps down to the sewer.
"Good luck, Boy Wonder" she whispers. She turns around facing Amazo, who has just swatted Aqualad away. "I'll buy you the time you need."
She draws her sword and charges forward letting out a battle cry. She jumps forward, holding the sword with her two hands, and stabs Amazo in the chest before it can react. The android looks down at the sword stuck in its chest, then back at Troia. It throws a hard punch connecting with her face that sends her flying. It then reaches to its chest and takes out the sword.
Troia looks up. Amazo is slow walking up to her, the sword on its right hand. It swings the sword, prepared to execute her, when he is suddenly tackled to the side by Victor. Victor lands over it and starts throwing punch after punch, metal flying everywhere.
Troia gets up and lets out a battle cry as she joins Victor.
Kid Flash is speeding through the area trying to get as many civilians as possible out of danger. He breaks down the door of a car, inside is a couple. He grabs the woman and carries her a mile away from the city, in a matter of seconds. He runs back. Makes it back to the car, grabs the man and carries him back to the same place. He goes back. In the way, taking out as many Billys as possible.
He makes it to a residential building covered in flames and clears it off in less than ten trips. "Is that everyone?" He asks after leaving all the people outside of the city.
"My son!" A woman yells. "He was playing the basement."
The speedster nods and runs back to the building, instantly descending into the basement. The place is covered in flames everywhere, with fallen debris all over the place, it's difficult to believe someone is alive over here.
"Kid?!" He calls. No answer. "Your mom sent me you get you. Kid?!"
He suddenly hears a cough, barely above a whisper. He sprints in that direction, where in the corner of the basement, under a fallen shelf, is the figure of a kid, no more than eight years old, with ash all over his face. The kid coughs again.
Kid Flash kneels in front. "Hey buddy, I'm here to help you." The kid nods, still a frightened look on his face. Kid Flash places his hands below the shelf and starts moving them really fast to complement his strength. He gasps as he starts lifting the shelf; boy is it heavy. Strength was never his strong suit, where is Roy with all his hours in the gym when you need him? He creates an opening big enough for the kid to get out, but he won't maintain it for much longer.
"Kid, I will need you to get out, you know what I'm saying?..." He says struggling with the weight of the shelf.
The kid nods and starts crawling forward. The moment he is out, Kid Flash lets go of the shelf, grabs the kid and carries him outside, just before the building completely crumbles on itself. He lets go of the kid and starts panting, feeling a bit out of breath. "You okay?"
The kid nods.
"Good, you don't talk much, huh?"
The kid shakes his head.
"Okay…" Kid Flash is suddenly grabbed from behind and slammed forcefully to the ground. He looks up, is a huge a man with orange long hair. Kid Flash tries to escape from his grasp but he is slammed once more to the ground.
"Don't worry, kid, I'll be back in a moment…" He manages to say before he is thrown against a car.
Russian submarine below the Artic Ocean. The general is once again clutching his head, the pain is too much as he lets out a cry of pain. The world spinning around him. He kneels on the floor and continues clutching his head.
"General, are you okay?" Two soldiers help him up.
Once he gets up, he pushes the soldiers to the side, two pairs of red eyes on his face.
He moves to the control panel and starts selecting specific coordinates.
"General?"
He selects coordinates on the west coast of the United States.
"General, we do not have orders to attack."
The general takes out his key, inserts it into the control panel and turns it. That enables the red button that fires the nuclear weapons. The soldiers trade glances; what do they do?
"General?!"
He is about to push the button when he suddenly is tackled to the side by a couple of soldiers.
Trigon opens his eyes. It's only a matter of time now.
"Sir!" He hears and looks down. At the roof of the building, Rouge is looking at him. He descends right in front of her.
"What is it?"
She points right ahead where is battle is going a few blocks from them. Trigon frowns.
"I think it's time to reveal our mole."
Nightwing, followed by Kory and Gar, are advancing through the sewer.
"Dude, this place stinks."
"I am afraid I must agree with Gar, how long until we arrive?" Kory asks.
Nightwing stops and pulls up the holographic map. "We're almost there, only two blocks left." He closes it and continues, Kory behind.
Gar takes a step forward to follow them when he suddenly hears a voice inside his mind. He stops.
"Wha…" He is interrupted as he is hit by a strong headache.
"It is time to fulfill your destiny."
Without his consent, he lets out a loud roar.
Nightwing and Kory stop, their eyes wide as they turn around, a bit wary.
"Gar…"
There in front of them is Gar, kneeled on the ground as he clutches his head, his skin turning green, his body growing, fangs growing on his mouth. He is turning into the creature.
He looks up making eye contact with them. His expression echos the pain he is suffering. "Please, help me."
"Gar!" Kory takes a step towards him, but Nightwing grabs her by the arm.
"Gar, you have to fight it!"
"I… I can't! I've never felt like this, I…" He lets out a cry of pain. He looks back at them. "You have to put me down, we have to save Raven!" He focuses on Kory. "Kory, please…"
"Gar, no…" He lets out another cry of pain, the transformation nearly complete.
She takes a step towards him, but at that moment he lets out another roar and swats with his claws to her, nearly hurting her. Kory backs away, for the first time, a scared look on her face.
"Please…" he begs again.
She looks at Nightwing. He nods and hands her his esgrima sticks. She looks down and takes them.
She walks up to him and places the sticks around his head. He looks up at her, his eyes asking her to do it.
"I am sorry, Gar." She turns on the sticks sending an electric shock through Gars body.
After a couple of seconds, Nightwing helps Kory up and hugs her.
"It had to be done. Its better this way, now he is away from the danger."
Kory nods without looking at him. "I know." He takes the esgrima sticks back and they continue.
They don't realize that a couple of eyes martializes from the ground and follows them with its gaze.
The gaze of a rifle focuses on the figure of Arsenal as he looks back at it.
"Oh, shit."
Instantly, the front two Blackhawks start firing at him. He moves to the side avoiding the canon fire. He jumps to the rooftop of the next building, while in the air, turning around and firing a quick arrow hitting the propeller of one of the helicopters, forcing it to lose altitude, and he lands with a backwards roll that allows him to quickly get up and continue running avoiding more shots. The Blackhawk begins spinning out of control and crashes on the street.
"One less" he says to himself. He touches his earpiece. "Indeed, they started firing at me." He fires another arrow hitting a soldier who was firing his machine gun at him. "For the moment, I have nine on me, but be careful in case they split."
One of the helicopters lands on top of a building, the soldiers inside descending and moving to Arsenal.
Aqualad hears him after being thrown into a building. A few feet form him are Victor and Troia going to toe to toe with Amazo. He gets up and touches his earpiece. "I hear you, Wally, can you help him?"
"A little busy at the moment" Kid Flash says while dodging multiple attacks by Mammoth. He ducks and throws a punch of his own connecting with his face. Mammoth stumbles back but continues attacking. A few feet from him is the kid still watching him. "You just stay there, kid."
An idea comes to his mind. He starts sprinting around the villain running circles around him. Mammoth reaches out to try to grab him, but he is too quick, throwing a couple of punches whenever he can. He then runs away, stops, facing once more to the villain and runs up to him, gaining speed and delivering one forceful punch, giving Mammoth no time block and he is sent to the ground, his eyes closed, unconscious.
Kid Flash smiles, a bit out of breath as he rests on his knees. He turns to the kid, who watched the whole spectacle. The kid lifts his thumb up, Kid Flash copies him.
"Let get you to safety, kid." The kid nods.
He carries him bridal style and runs outside the city where he left the rest of the civilians, leaving him with his mother who instantly hugs him.
"Now madam, if you would allow me, I have to go save my friend." He gives a two-finger salute to the kid before running back to the city.
Nightwing and Kory are running through the sewer. He checks the hologram.
"We're almost there."
When suddenly both of their feet get stuck on the mud, preventing them from moving. He tries to fight it.
"Can't…move" he says while trying to raise his feet.
"Neither can I."
She fires a green beam at her feet, but nothing happens. Nightwing tries with his esgrima stick, but nothing happens. The mud starts crawling through their bodies as they continue resisting. A face starts materializing in the mud, or rather clay, it smiles. Nightwing narrows his eyes.
"Clayface…" They knew they would be coming this way.
Kory screams the mud reaches her face covering her completely. The same with Nightwing, leaving visible only the mud.
Silence.
Until is interrupted by a loud, terrifying roar. Clayface turns to it. Approaching them in four legs is the creature, the two pairs of red eyes present in its face. Clayface smiles. The creature approaches the first of the bodies covered in mud. It lifts an arm showing the large claws on its fingers. It is about to attack the body when it suddenly changes directions attacking Clayface with its claws hurting the villain who screams in pain. The creature then jumps at Clayface delivering attack after attack. Clayface focusing all of his mud into defending himself, letting go of the bodies. Nightwing and Kory resurface from the mud letting out a deep breath, once more being able to breathe.
They turn to the fight where Clayface and the creature are going blow for blow. The creature, or rather Gar, turns to them and nods, before focusing back on the villain. He grabs him and pushes him to the side throwing multiple claw attacks.
Kory smiles. Nightwing nods. "Well done, Gar." He turns to Kory and signals to continue. Kory nods as she takes one last look at Gar before following Nightwing.
They reach a ladder on the sewer and climb up.
Once inside the building, they run through the reception until make it to the emergency stairs.
"A hundred and forty levels" Nightwing says gazing up. He turns to Kory who offers him her hand. He takes. But before they can start levitating, multiple Billys show up from different levels and starts firing at them. They take cover.
"I believe this will take time" Kory says. Nightwing nods, not really liking it. Kory gets out of the cover spot and fires up a green beam letting out a battle cry.
Arsenal continues jumping from rooftop to rooftop barely avoiding the missiles being fired at him, currently four Blackhawks chasing him.
He encounters a group of soldiers in the next building in front of him. They start firing at him. Without stopping he charges at them while pressing a button on his quiver changing arrows. He then fires an arrow, intantly creating a cloud of smoke around them. He slides getting in the middle of the group and starts beating them one by one using his bow and kicks.
The helicopters fire their missiles at him, not minding the soldiers. Arsenal widens his eyes and runs away. The explosion killing all of the soldiers.
Arsenal runs to the next building, which is three floors lower, he jumps. While in the air, he turns around, takes out two arrows and fires one to each of the closer Blackhawks, hitting them both and making them crash. He then lands forcefully on his back.
He grunts as he tries to get up. "Fuck…" Dirt all over his face with a couple of scratches. Two more Blackhawks approach him. He quickly gets up, limping the first couple of steps and back to running.
Troia jumps at the Amazo punching it in the face. She throws another punch, but the android catches her and is about to punch her, when it suddenly receives a punch from the side from Victor. He punches it two more times, before Amazo catches him and throws him against Troia sending them both to the ground.
Amazo then changes its arm to a sonic canon and aims at them, but just before it can fire Aqualad comes from behind cutting it in its back with his swords. Amazo sends a punch, but Aqualad ducks and cuts it in its chest now. He continues by jumping up preparing to cut it in the face, but Amazo catches him, slams him to the ground and throws him at a nearby bus.
Amazo turns to the other two members of the team just in time to receive a forceful punch by Troia, the android staggers back. Troia punches it again, followed by a push of her shield and another punch. Amazo catcher her fist and sends another forceful punch of his own, but Troia catches it surprising the android and leaving them in a standstill. Amazo pushes down trying to overpower. She greets her teeth as she struggles against its strength. Amazo applies more pressure, but the Amazon doesn't give up. Troia lets out a battle cry as she now starts pushing forward. Amazo raises its other arm transforming it back into the sonic canon. Troia widens her eyes, just before she receives the full power of the canon sending her sliding through the asphalt.
Aqualad gets up, instantly noticing Troia in the ground, Amazo in front of her preparing to end her. He must save her. He turns to the side noticing a fire hydrant, he doesn't like it, but he must. He closes his eyes focusing. The hydrant breaks down letting out a flood of water. He then makes a movement with his hand sending all the water to Amazo in the form of a giant wave.
The Amazo is almost at Troia and doesn't notice as the giant wave makes its way specifically to it sending it flying, and going through two whole buildings before it crashes down.
Aqualad is left panting, almost out of breath. He turns to Troia and runs to her. He helps her up.
"You are okay?" A worried look on his face.
She nods. "Why would you do that?"
Aqualad lets out a sad smile. "I had to."
They turn to the shattered building where the Amazo is once more standing up. Both heroes stand up and get in a fighting stance.
The android lifts its hand absorbing all the water around and sends it back to them in a giant wave of its own.
Troia moves out of the way, while Aqualad stays, trying to stop the wave with all of his strength. He greets his teeth. The wave stops just before it hits him. He lowers his hand, the water falling to the floor, but in that moment from behind the water comes flying Amazo sending a forceful punch to Aqualad, then two more quick ones to the face. Then grabs him by the chest and slams him to the ground and continues punching him.
Troia watches as Amazo lifts Aqualad up putting its arm around his neck.
"No…"
Aqualad turns to her, making eye contact, and lets out a small smile. "I love you" he mouths.
Troia is about to run to him, when Amazo makes a quick arm movement and snaps his neck. Troia freezes, not being able to process it. The android throws Aqualad's lifeless body to the side and turns to her. Troia is frozen in her place, Amazo running to her. However, just before it reaches her, Victor tackles it to the side and punches it in the face.
Tears threaten to come out to of Troias eyes, she shouldn't, an Amazon doesn't cry, she is a warrior. But that was Garth.
"Donna, snap out!" Victor yells mid punch.
Amazo dodges the punch and headbutts Victor, getting it away from it.
Troia turns to him. She pushes her pain to the side and charges at Amazo.
A missile goes off just beside Arsenal, the explosion sending him flying to the side. He spits blood and tries to get up, three Blackhawks approaching him. They lock-in on him and fire multiple missiles. Arsenal closes his eyes, but just before they hit him, comes Kid Flash sprinting and taking him out of danger, and carrying him through the roofs of the buildings.
The Blackhawks continue firing at him, Kid Flash struggling to avoid them as there are too many and he can't go as fast while carrying his friend.
One missile is shot just in front of him. Kid Flash widens his eyes and tries to move away, but it's too late as the missile explodes very close to them sending them to the ground.
The Blackhawks surround them and aim their canons.
Kid Flash turns to Arsenal making eye contact, this is their end.
Trigon gazes in the distance, noticing something unusual.
"What is that object approaching?"
The pilot of one of the helicopters is about to fire, when suddenly small object is fired into the back of the Blackhawk. The pilot doesn't realize and pulls the trigger; however, no missile is fired. He lifts an eyebrow and pulls the trigger again, but the whole helicopter is set on fire at that moment, surprising Arsenal and Kid Flash. A small black battleship comes flying positing itself in front of the eclipse forming the silhouette of a Bat, the Batwing. It then flies down, firing at the rest of the Blackhawks.
Kid Flash smiles. "Yeah boy!" He celebrates.
Batman inside the Batwing veers to the side getting the Blackhawks away from the young heroes. The Blackhawks focus on it and chase him. They fire heat missiles at him. The Batwing starts spinning around as most of the missile explode as they hit each other, a couple more still continue. Batman presses a button firing flares that collide with the missile setting them off away from him.
He takes a turn around a tall building, positing himself not in front of the Blackhawks and fires at them managing to destroy one.
He then flies down and fires multiple missiles at Amazo, who can't react, allowing Troia the chance to jump at it and hit it with the side of her shield in the face, followed by two more, not giving it the chance to recover, a murderous look on her face, seeking vengeance. She hits it again, trying to slam the whole shield inside its face.
However, the blows start losing effect as Amazo adapts and counterattacks with a punch to Troia sending her flying back. Victor fires his canon hitting Amazo in the back. The Amazo turns to it, but Kid Flash carries him away from danger as him and Arsenal join the fight.
The Batwing goes back to fighting the remaining Blackhawks.
Trigon closes his eyes, focusing on the vehicle, especially the pilot.
"I feel him… so much anger, so much… darkness…" He smiles.
Batman starts clutching his head, a growing pain in his mind. He tries to shake it off and focuses on the battle as he destroys another Blackhawk, the pain however, never disappearing.
After fighting maybe hundreds of Billys, Kory and Nightwing reach the final floor of the building, consisting of a completely blank large room without any objects and large windows on the side.
"Come on, she must be on the roof" Nightwing says.
They open a door leading to the stairs where they meet the figure of a woman, a grin on her face. Nightwing and Kory stop.
"Rouge…"
"Children."
The heroes get in a fighting stance.
"This time you'll not escape."
"I am more powerful than in our previous fight" Kory says.
Rouge laughs. "I believe you are the ones now underestimating me."
They circle the villain, their eyes never leaving her. Silence as they study their opponent.
"Well fight her together, you go left, I take right" Nightwing says.
Rouge lets out a battle cry as she charges at him throwing two quick punches, Nightwing stops the first one and ducks avoiding the other. He then throws a roundhouse kick that she blocks with her arm. Kory joins the fight by throwing a punch of her own, Rouge catches her and pushes her back with her leg. Nightwing takes advantage and sweeps her feet sending her to the floor. Nightwing takes out his esgrima sticks and hits her down, but Rouge catches his wrist and applies pressure. Nightwing lets out a cry of pain as he is forced to let go. She then raises her leg and kicks him back. She rolls just in time to avoid a vicious punch by Kory, that leaves a hole in the floor, the assassin gets up with a jump, and starts trading blow for blow with the Tamaranian as they move through the room. Nightwing gets up and follows them.
The Batwing is being followed by the last of the Blackhawks by behind as it fires from its machine guns, Batman skillfully avoiding the shots. He then flies up and back, completing a whole spin, getting in behind the Blackhawks and fires a missile of his own, destroying it.
However, before he can think about going to help the others, he grunts as he clutches his head, the pain coming back stronger. He tries to fight it and clutches harder the steering wheel.
Trigon is on top of the Tower, his eyes closed, focused on Batman.
"You are now in my control."
Batman's struggle ceases as he raises his head, two pairs of red eyes on his face below the cowl.
"Now, annihilate Nightwing."
Batman veers the Batwing to the side and aims at the building, especially the higher levels and accelerates.
Rouge pushes Kory back and turns to the side just in time to block an attack by Nightwing. She pushes back and throws a kick connecting with his face and sending him to the ground. However, before she can react, she receives a green energy beam from Kory and falls to the floor.
Kory helps Nightwing up as they turn to Rouge.
"Yield," Nightwing orders with a stern look, pointing at her with his esgrima sticks.
They suddenly hear the sound of an engine approaching. They stop as they look around.
"What is that sound?" Kory wonders.
Nightwing turns to the window and instantly widens his eyes.
"Watch out!" He tackles Kory, getting her out the way. In that moment a black battleship crashes into the building, destroying everything in its way as it advances through the room, until it coming to a halt.
Silence as the room is covered in dust and fallen debris.
Nightwing and Kory get up.
"Are you harmed?"
She coughs but shakes her head. Once the dust clears, they notice the black battleship, it seems familiar. The Batwing. Nightwing appears confused.
"What…?"
They hear movement inside.
"Bruce?!" He calls. No answer.
They watch as a black figure with a cowl and a cape descends from the Batwing. His eyes red and a scowl on his face. The Dark Knight advances at them. Rouge positioning herself to the other side cutting them off.
Without taking his eyes from his mentor Nightwing signals Kory to go with Rouge. She obeys and turns to the assassin.
Batman takes another step. Nightwing narrows his eyes. He rises his fist getting in a fight stance.
Trigon smirks and turns back to the moon.
Presidential bunker, the president and the whole cabinet continue watching through the screen the destruction of the city.
"Sir, we lost contact with our troops," the commander in charge informs. "Shall we send reinforcements?"
"Nuke the city" Trigon says.
"Nuke the city," the president repeats.
Everyone turns to him, shocked expressions on their faces.
"Sir?"
Russian submarine. The general takes out a gun, getting the soldiers away from him and stopping their assault. They just look at him. Without taking his gaze away from them the general turns the key once again. One of the soldiers takes a step forward but he is instantly shot down. The rest of the soldiers scramble for their guns as a shootout commences.
Rouge blocks an attack by Kory, she then takes out a small knife and swings it at her. Kory tries to move back, but the blade cuts her in the stomach, leaving a trace of blood. Kory looks down, wide-eyed, then at Rouge. The assassin smirks and charges at her with the knife.
A few feet from them, Batman is throwing an avalanche of punches and kicks to Nightwing, who barely is being able to block them, clearly being overwhelmed. Batman throws a roundhouse kick, Nightwing ducks, and jumps in the air throwing a flying kick. However, his mentor catches his leg while in the air and throws him to the ground.
Nightwing quickly gets up with a jump and moves back avoiding another kick. He then starts throwing punches of his own, but Batman easily blocks each one of them. Both having too similar fighting techniques. He connects a punch to the stomach and follows it with a quick kick to the same area. Batman catches his leg and elbows him hard on the ankle, his bad ankle. Nightwing screams in pain. The Dark Knight follows it with a punch to the face once more, sending him to the ground.
Nightwing once more gets up, although more slowly this time and spits blood. Batman slow walks up to him. Nightwing reaches back and takes out his esgrima sticks. He then lets out a battle cry as he charges forward, completing a front flip before meeting him and swinging his sticks at him. Batman is surprised by the aggression of the attack and moves backwards while blocking his attacks. He blocks a couple and counterattacks with punches of his own, Nightwing blocking him with his sticks. He jumps in the air delivering a kick, Batman ducks, but in that moment, he receives two quick blows to the face as he staggers back. He too spits blood.
Nightwing jumps at him, but Batman catches his wrist, with the same hand elbows him the face, followed by a hard punch from the other hand sending him back to the ground.
Nightwing grunts in pain, he is stronger than him.
Victor is sent flying to a nearby car by Amazo. The android then turns just in time to block an attack by Troia and punches her down. Arsenal comes from above, takes out three explosive arrows and fires all of them at the same time, landing with a roll, and giving Troia the chance to escape.
Once the smoke clears Amazo focuses on the figure of the archer. It raises both hands and fires a huge sonic blast at him. Arsenal widens his eyes, however before it reaches him, comes Kid Flash sprinting and carries him away from danger. The android continues firing as they dodge his fire.
Troia creeps from below and stabs the Amazo in the back with her sword, catching it off-guard. The android tries to reach her, but can't. Troia lets out an angry cry, pushes further, and twists the sword trying to provoke as much damage as possible.
"Roy, now!" She yells while struggling against the android. "Finish it!"
Kid Flash leaves Arsenal right in front of them. The archer changes arrows to an EMP one and aims Amazo, especially its head. He lets go of the arrow. The arrow travels all the distance across, however at the last moment, Amazo manages to get Troia off it and put her in the middle as she absorbs the whole impact. Arsenal widens his eye, he had missed probably the most important shot of his life.
Amazo then slams her forcefully to the ground, and then for a second time, before throwing her at Arsenal sending both the ground.
Arsenal gets up and turns to Troia, her eyes are closed. "Donna, Donna, wake up!" Panic in his voice. Amazo advances to them. "Come on, Donna!" He slaps her on the face.
The android jumps up, its fist prepared to destroy them, when suddenly it is hit by a yellow blur, sending it back against a building. It's Kid Flash.
"No, Wally! What are you doing?"
Kid Flash turns to him. "Take Donna away, I'll keep him busy!"
He turns to Amazo and sprints at it, hitting it from all directions as the android cant react. Back and forth, forceful punches to its head.
Victor makes it to Troia and Arsenal.
"Can you wake her up?" Arsenal asks.
"I can try." He presses his fist against her chest creating electroshocks as her back arcs upwards. Nothing.
"Come on, come on…"
He tries again. She suddenly lets out a loud, deep breath as she wakes up. Both Victor and Arsenal let out sighs of relief.
"You're okay…"
She nods. "Amazo?"
Arsenal motions with his head to where Kid Flash is still punching Amazo. "Wally, is distracting it."
Troias eyes shoot open. "What?!"
Kid Flash punches Amazo. The android calculates his patterns with each punch, studying him. Another punch, however, they are beginning to lose effect on it. Kid Flash comes for another punch, the android anticipates and catches his wrist and slams him to the ground. The speedster tries to run away, but his leg is still between his hand. Amazo raises him by the leg, puts its other hand on it, and snaps his leg in two, the lower half barely hanging in, and the cut-in-half bone popping up. Kid Flash instantly screams in pain, but he can't do anything.
Amazo lets him go, not seeing him as a threat anymore.
Kid Flash falls to the ground and grabs his broken leg. "My leg!" He cries, actual tears on his eyes.
The rest of the group widens their eyes.
Arsenal is the first to act as he lets out a battle cry charging at Amazo and firing explosive arrow after explosive arrow, not thinking anymore, just feeling rage. The android just takes them not being able to react.
Troia and Victor make it to Kid Flash. "He broke my leg! I can see my bone!"
"I know, I know, Wally, calm down, well help you."
"It hurts, please Donna, help me, I don't want to die" he cries like a child.
Troia rips some cloth from her suit and tries to wrap it around his leg. Kid Flash continues screaming.
Amazo throws a punch at Arsenal, but he slides going under it. He fires another arrow at its head and runs away, the android chases him.
"Fire everything we've got to the city" the president orders. No one around the bunker questions him, red eyes on everyone's faces.
He walks to the control panel and inserts his key, instantly turning it. That enables the red button. He pushes it.
Russian submarine. The general slowly gets up, blood all over his face and multiple bullet wounds in his body, however, he keeps moving. The floor of the submarine covered with dead bodies. He makes it to the control panel and pushes the button. He then falls to the floor, dead.
An avalanche of missiles is fired from the submarine making it into the surface and continue elevating.
From inside all the underground silos throughout the country, grey missiles slowly start rising leaving a bright trail across the sky, a trail of fire in the darkness.
On the monitoring screens are on display the trajectories of all the projectiles.
Everyone's eyes turn back to normal, instantly noticing the missiles on the screen. They widen their eyes and cover their mouth in horror. They had fired nuclear weapons into their own territory.
"Shut them now!"
"Systems not working! They will hit the city in five minutes."
Trigon smirks on the roof of the building.
Nightwing receives two more punches to the chest, Batman grabs him and knees him on the stomach. Nightwing stumbles back as he grunts in pain, but Batman assault continues as he continues throwing punches. Nightwing blocks and counterattacks with one of his own however, Batman dodges, places himself behind him and punches him hard on the shoulder from behind. Nightwing screams in pain. Batman kicks him in the back sending him to the ground.
Nightwing rolls over, avoiding another kick and gets up with a jump. He throws a smoke bomb and backs away, gaining some seconds to breathe.
He turns to the side where Kory is also struggling against Rouge, trying to block every punch that comes her way.
An idea comes to Nightwing. "Kory, switch!" He orders.
"What?" She asks mid-fight.
"I fight Rouge, you go with Batman!"
"Why?"
"Just trust me!"
"Okay…"
The moment she says that Nightwing jumps at Rouge attacking her with his sticks, leaving her no option but to focus on him and block the attack. Meanwhile, Kory levitates and flies at Batman surprising him and tackling him against a wall.
Nightwing sends blow after blow to Rouge who blocks him and counterattacks with punches of her own. Nightwing ducks and sweeps her feet sending her to the floor. He then jumps on top, but she again catches his wrists and headbutts him. That allows her to stand up and attack him, however he dodges her and pushes her to the window shattering the glass. Rouge recomposes herself and jumps at him.
Batman elbows Kory on the back getting her off and then punches her on the face. Kory goes to the floor. Before he can attack her again, she fires a quick energy beam from her eyes surprising him and sending him back against the wall.
Arsenal slides over a car and continues running. Amazo chasing him just running over the vehicles in its way. He turns around and fires a quick arrow, but Amazo continues. The android transforms one of its hands into a sonic canon and fires. Arsenal doesn't have time to react as the explosion goes off right next to him, sending him flying.
He grunts in pain, blood all over his face. He looks up. Amazo aims at him. Its about to fire when suddenly it receives the impact of another sonic canon from behind. It turns around finding Victor.
"Hey! You're not over with me!" He yells taunting it.
Amazo turns to him and fires his canon. Victor does the same, both blasts meeting in the middle. The android changes its other hand to sonic too and fires. Victor screams in pain as he continues firing, now being overpowered by two sonic blasts, but he doesn't give up and continues. The android advances, adding more pressure to Victor. He checks the control panel on his arm, low battery message appears.
"No…"
His blast starts losing power. Amazon continues advancing. Victor's blast suddenly stops, having run out of power. Amazo grabs by the sonic canon and punches it hard destroying it. Victor uses his other hand to punch the Amazo in the face, but he only hears a clank as it doesn't do anything to Amazo. The android just looks at him. It then sends a hard to Victor face, metal flying everywhere. Another punch. Victor can't react. Another punch. The metallic side of his face all destroyed, the human side covered in blood, his human eye closed. Another punch. It leans its fist backwards, preparing for a mighty punch, aimed at killing him, when suddenly Arsenal comes from behind, climbs on top of the android and hits it with two electric arrows to each side of its temple. An electric shock spreading throughout its whole body.
The archer then jumps off doing a front flip. Amazo sends a punch but misses. Arsenal lands with a roll, quickly reaches to his quiver when he realizes he doesn't have any arrows left. He widens his eyes. A small smile appears on the android's face. Raises its canon at him. Arsenal closes his eyes as he is hit by the canon at full force.
"Roy!" Troia and Kid Flash yell from their spot as his lifeless body falls to the floor. Horror look on their faces, he was gone.
"NO!" Kid Flash yells as he tries to get up, but he can't and lets out a cry of pain.
Amazo turns to them.
Troia raises her shield, prepared to defend her friend. Her face covered with dirt and cuts, and actual fear in her eyes.
Batman throws a quick combination of punches and kicks to Kory, overwhelming her as she tries to block him.
"Richard, I believe I need the switch!" She yells.
Nightwing blocks an attack by Rouge with his esgrima sticks. "Switch!" He pushes back, does a cartwheel getting him to Kory and does a flying kick connecting to Batman's chest sending him back.
Kory goes back to Rouge sending a hard punch that the assassin barely dodges as she rolls to the ground. Kory throws another punch that misses as Rouge backs away.
Batman gets back on the offensive as he punches Nightwing on the side and the arm. The same with Rouge who now attacks Kory.
"Switch!"
Nightwing ducks allowing Kory who flies at Batman who rolls away, and raises his arms just in time to block her. Nightwing goes back to Rouge. Both fights going on really close, Nightwing and Kory standing back-to-back.
"Switch!"
They just turn around, Nightwing throwing a roundhouse kick connecting with Batman's jaw, while Kory tackles Rouge moving away from the men.
"Switch!"
Nightwing does a cartwheel that somersaults him into a kick to Rouges face. Kory turns around and fires a green beam at Batman, hitting him in the chest.
"Switch!"
Before Batman can get up, he receives a hard punch straight on the face by Nightwing sending him to the ground, eyes closed. At the same time Kory lifts Rouge and slams her hard to the floor, near the open window. The assassin quickly gets up and throws a punch, Kory dodges her and without thinking fires an energy beam, hitting her straight on the chest and throwing her out the window as Rouge lets out a piercing scream as she falls.
"No!" Kory yells as she reaches to Rouge but she isn't quick enough.
Silence.
Nightwing makes it to Kory, a bit out of breath. "You okay?"
Kory turns to him and nods. "I do believe so, the Batman?"
They turn to him. He appears unconscious with his eyes closed. "Hopefully he'll be alright." He gestures to the stairs. "Come one."
Victor struggles to get up, his body all torn with multiple missing parts. He looks in front where Amazo is firing a huge sonic blast at Troia who is blocking it with her shield, she seems to be struggling to maintain the shield up. Behind her is Kid Flash on the ground, not being able to move.
"Nothing can stop it…" Victor whispers to himself. He turns to the side noticing the body of Arsenal and a few more feet away, Garths. "He absorbs everything we throw at him…" He thinks and looks down to his chest. "Unless we throw something so powerful he can't absorb..." Realization hitting him.
He grunts in pain as he pushes his fists down, getting up and touching his earpiece. "Richard, you there?"
Nightwing and Kory reach the rooftop of the building. They stop as they hear Victor. "Yeah, we made it to the roof." Up in front of them is Raven or Trigon, levitating in front of the moon.
"We lost Roy and Garth."
Nightwing freezes, his eyes watering a bit. "What?" He asks not wanting to believe it. Kory looks at him a bit worried.
Victor slowly limps to Amazo. "Wally lost a leg and Donna doesn't have much time."
Nightwing doesn't answer still in shock. "I will go help you."
"Richard, no!"
"I know how to stop Amazo." He continues moving. He pauses. "We made a pretty good team, huh?" A small smile appears on his face.
Realization hits Nightwing. "No, Victor, don't do it! That's an order, retreat! Retreat!"
"I just want to say that I love you both."
"What is going on?" Kory asks.
Nightwing turns to her. "He is going to sacrifice to stop Amazo." Kory gasps as she covers her mouth. "That's an order! Don't do it!"
"I never was good following your order… Victor out!"
"Victor!"
He cuts the communication leaving Nightwing and Kory on their own. Silence.
Nightwing looks up noticing the infinite number of missiles in the sky, leaving behind a trail of smoke, coming both from east and west. He turns to Kory.
"Go look for Gar and get him away."
"No, Richard, I will not…"
"That's an order!" He yells angrily interrupting her. Tears fall from his eyes. He reaches to his mask and rips it off. "Please… I lost many friends today, I don't want you to die."
"Richard…"
Richard reaches to her cheek and caresses her. "Please… do it for me…"
Kory leans forward placing her forehead against his. Their eyes closed. "I will, my love. Be careful."
They lean back, making eye contact. Richard then kisses her, quickly breaking apart. "Go!"
She nods as she flies off the building.
Richard turns around to Raven.
Victor continues approaching Amazo. Without looking he reaches to his control panel and presses a button. A voice comes from there, his father's voice.
"I dedicated my whole life to the science." It's the final message he left him before dying. Victor keeps approaching Amazo. Troia can't hold him for much longer. "I've created countless new devices, new inventions, but my greatest creation, the one I'm the most proud of, it will always be you, my son… I love you."
"I love you too, dad…" Victor says. With that he punches his chest, a small electronic device comes out, his body battery. He closes his human eye.
Suddenly it shoots open as he sprints to Amazo.
Amazo reaches Troia, takes her shield, throws it away and aims its canon. Troia closes her eyes. In that moment, Victor jumps on top one android and takes out his body battery.
"Absorb this motherfucker!"
He pushes the battery down Amazos mouth and then jumps off, falling to the ground, the light of his electronic body disappearing. He looks up. The android seems unaffected. It takes a step to them when it suddenly stops. A blue light expanding through its body. It tries once again to take the step, but it can't, mechanical noises coming from inside as it tries to adapt to this new energy. It opens his mouth, some sort of cry of pain coming from inside. When it suddenly blows off, all the different parts flying away.
Troia looks at it. It's destroyed. A small smile creeps on her face. She turns to Victor. "Victor!" She yells worried moving to him.
His eye barely open. "We did it?" He whispers.
She nods. "You did it."
"Good…" He looks up as his eye closes.
Troia closes her eyes. They had lost a lot of people today. She turns to Kid Flash. "Come one." She stands up and helps him up.
Metropolis, reporter Clark Kent is at the Daily Bugle watching the TV coverage of the incident at Jump City. The city is in flames, and he can see the missiles approaching the city. Everyone in the room gasps, so many people would die. Unconsciously, he chews his glasses. He wants to do something, he must, however, Batman had ordered him not to do anything.
Suddenly two pairs of red eyes flash on his face. He turns around and aims at the window.
"Clark?" Lois Lane asks.
He doesn't answer as he walks to the window, headbutts it hard, shattering the glass, and flies off the building. Everyone screams as they turn in the direction he went. His identity compromised.
The missiles are quickly approaching the city, they will be there in a matter of seconds.
Richard turns to Trigon levitating up in the sky. Only she can stop this.
"Raven!" He yells.
Trigon turns to him and smirks. He makes a hand movement pushing Richard against the near wall. Nightwing grunts in pain as he hits his back. Trigon descends in front of him.
"You really believed my daughter could protect you."
"I know she can."
Trigon laughs and does another hand movement to try to snap his neck. Richard is pushed harder against the wall, but his neck untouched. Trigon grunts in frustration.
"I know you are in there, Raven" Richard says making eye contact.
The red eyes disappear as Raven's purple eyes appear. A light smile appears on Richard's face. Tears come out of her eyes as she is in pain.
"Kill me, Richard… Please kill me."
"No, Raven, I won't…"
"Kill me!"
Trigon comes back and pushes Nightwing harder into the wall. The hero screams in pain as every bone in his body is being crushed.
The missiles are almost at the city.
Troia and Kid Flash, leaning into her, look up noticing them. They look at each other, maybe for a last time, the nod and close their eyes, accepting their fate.
Kory comes out of the sewer carrying Gar, his clothes torn but still alive. She looks up at the missiles.
"You can… you can fight it…" he says through the pain.
Raven lets out a cry of pain as she reappears. "Please, Richard, kill me, before I hurt anyone else." She reaches forward placing her hand on each side of his face. She leans to him and kisses him on the lips before leaning back. "Kill me!"
Richard looks at her. He must do something. Not only to save everyone, but to also save her. With one of his hands he reaches to his belt, taking out a batarang. "I'm sorry."
"My name is Nightwing, I help people, I can get you out of here, do you want that?" He says at Starlabs. The girl appears to think about it and nods. A light smile appears on Nightwing's face.
Richard approaches the batarang to her stomach, the blade coming into contact with her skin. Tears come from his eyes. "I'm sorry."
"You are free now; you can do whatever you like" he explains.
He places a hand against her cheek.
Richard knees on the floor, a worried look in his eyes. "Raven, look at me, you weren't made to destroy, you weren't born with a labs purpose, no one was, it's your choice to find a purpose, if you want to do good, you can do it, you don't have to destroy" he finishes. Raven smiles. She launches at him and hugs him tight.
Nightwing leans closer to her. "You are not dangerous, you are not evil, you are our friend."
"Save me..." she whispers before Raven's eyes turn red as Trigon reappears.
"I'm sorry." Richard cries. "I failed you."
In a quick move he pushes the batarang forward, stabbing Raven in the stomach. She gasps as her back arcs forward, the red eyes disappear. She opens them and looks at him, a small smile on her face, before she closes her eyes, focusing.
The nuclear missiles suddenly start shaking as they change directions moving upwards. They reach out to the atmosphere where they move into each other crashing together and producing a blinding explosion of hundreds of nuclear bombs exploding together. However, not hurting anyone.
Kory, Troia, Kid Flash, and Gar watch the explosion from the street, relief on their faces.
"Raven did it" Kory smiles.
"The bombs went off away from the city." A speaker announces inside the presidential bunker. Everyone cheers as they hug each other.
Raven collapses as Richard catches her before she hits the floor. "Thank you" she whispers looking at him straight in the eyes.
He laughs through the tears. "You did it, Raven, you saved us."
She smiles before her eyes close for a final time. Richard closes his as he leans his forehead against hers and sobs quietly. The explosion going above them in the sky.
Down at the street level are the corpses of Garth, Roy and Victor all lying down together. Troia, Kid Flash, Kory and Gar around them. Also, Batman, who had woken up a few seconds ago, and the recently arrived Superman. Everyone with their gaze down, focused on the corpses. The victory had come at a high cost.
They suddenly hear steps approaching them. They turn to them where they meet Richard carrying Raven bridal style, a serious look on his eyes. Without making eye contact, he walks to the corpses and carefully leaves places next to the others.
He then moves backwards without taking his gaze away from them and embraces Kory, who leans against him.
All around them is the city nearly destroyed, with most of the close buildings shattered, abandoned vehicles and a few fires still on.
That concludes the story, only the epilogue left to finish tying some loose ends. Did you like the story? Is it on the same level as the prequel? Please let me know what you think. Like and review.