12 advance chapters in my Patreon.
Patreon.com/Saintbarbido.
::------------------------------------------::
Chapter 44 Never Meet Your Heroes.
(General P.O.V)
The first thing Artemis had done was scout the place. The belfry was nothing but a place that housed the huge rusty bell. She made her way down and reached the Nave, the part of the church where the congregation sat.
The aisles were covered by a thick dust with broken furniture. In addition, the room was scorched with nothing of worth. A few cardboards that looked laid on were stashed away on the corner.
The real price came from the basement. Or well, the cavern she found below the Cathedral. Sneaking in was easy for her. She was the daughter of Sportsmaster and Tigress after all.
What she saw inside instantly enraged her while also easing her worries. The kids were okay. But they were locked in a cage. Like animals. She swept her gaze around the room, descending onto the ground on a darker section of the chamber.
Past the cages, she saw the back of a man with long hair and a mask that covered the top back of his head. He was kneeling below a glass cage with a red liquid, cackling.
Artemis quickly but silently worked her way to the cage with the kids. One of them saw her coming and pulled on the shirt of another child, a girl that looked to be the oldest. She had on a blue coat.
"Shh. I'm here to help."
Artemis assured them as they huddled at the corner of the cell. Their faces were puffy from crying and their eyes were widened in fear.
"S s...stay back."
The little girl dressed in a blue coat said in a shaky voice, as she pushed the rest behind her small form.
Artemis felt her heart break. The cruelty they had seen before she and the others got here must have been traumatizing. She didn't blame them for looking at her with such suspicion.
Artemis bit her lip, her fingers working quickly to pick the lock. The doors swung open and she held up her hands, careful not to make any sudden moves.
"Hi, I'm friends with Batman who's part of the Justice League. He sent me."
She said to appease them.
Hearing that Batman himself had sent someone for them, made most of the hostility abate. Still, the girl from before was cautious as they were all ushered out.
"I need you all to be quiet, okay?"
Artemis informed them.
There was a chorus of nods as the kids understood the type of danger they were in.
Artemis frowned as each of the kids lined out and she didn't see who she had specifically come for. She didn't see Jason anywhere.
"Wait, how many of you were there?"
She asked the girl, holding her by the shoulders.
The girl blinked.
"6. We're from the orphanage. Jason saw the bad men grab us and tried to stop them but...but they got him too. He's inside that thing!"
The girl pointed at the front.
The man had straightened up and was now punching a series of keys as the security alarm sounded. He was frantic, alternating between looking at the Incubator that was holding Jason and the screen.
Artemis didn't know what he was doing but she knew it wasn't anything good.
"Quickly! Find somewhere to hide far away from here!"
She told them, turning around and burying an arrow at the back of Pyg's hand.
After that, things were a blur.
The second the enhanced Man Bats escaped out of their pods, Artemis immediately knew that the situation had gone up a level that she alone couldn't handle. She pressed a button on the bottom of her quiver while pulling out more arrows.
The party of Man Bats screamed as they dove down towards her and the kids. She used an arrow to spear through the Incubator glass, making the red liquid inside start to pour out. Cracks spread out across the glass but she was already moving.
She drew back an arrow and let it fly at one of the creatures flying ahead of the group. The arrow went wide due to Pyg's hand grabbing onto her shin.
"Dammit!"
Artemis yelled, quickly pulling out another and letting it fly with precision. The arrow exploded in to a red thick liquid, restraining the enhanced ManBat's flight.
The rest pulled back wide, changing trajectory to escape the Archer's line of sight.
The Man Bat that was taken off the air by the arrow, crashed on one of the empty cages, bending nthe metal under it's huge scaly form.
"No!" Pyg cried out.
"I won't let you destroy everything I've bui..."
Before he could say anything else, Artemis' foot landed on his cheek, head whipping to the side as he was knocked out.
"Shut up."
Unfortunately that was enough time for the Man Bats to fly in for another round. This time they came at Artemis from multiple directions.
Artemis ducked under the sharp claws, her heart hammering inside her chest. She smoothly notched an arrow and let it fly towards the creature diving for one of the smaller boys. Its claws gleamed in the small light of the wide chamber.
The arrow tore through its wings, before burying itself onto the earthen ceiling. Then it exploded, sending stones pelting the rest of the group after the kids, who were now safely hiding behind a few extra capsules.
Artemis felt a fire along her forearm as she barely dodged a claw. The Man Bat passed by her but then another grabbed onto the strap of her quiver and lifted her up.
She buried the end of the arrow in her hands, deep on it's shin and felt it drop her, only for the strap of her quiver to get tangled in the claw. It snapped and the Archer felt her heart sink. She begun to drop towards the ground at fast speeds.
Just before she landed and break half of the bones in her body, a black portal swallowed her, emptying out near the kids. Artemis felt her back land on something elastic but tough.
Her eyes opened up to see her and the kids surrounded by a purple-black shield. On the outside, their enemies were relentlessly trying to break through.
"Hey. Back Ups arrived."
Raven told her, floating infront of the group, looking out as the ManBats numbering around 20 harassed the dome with slashes of claws and bites.
They roared, barring rows of sharp teeth behind the fangs.
"Thanks for the save."
Artemis told her friend/acquittance.
"Don't mention it."
Raven replied, eyes completely black as she readied a spell.
"You know Artemis. I never told you about an ability of mine."
Raven begun.
"One that can sense other peoples emotions. Especially hostility..."
As she spoke, a chill spread out across Artemis' veins. She knew. The Archer discreetly pressed the button at the bottom of the Quiver once more.
"I don't trust people..."
Raven continued.
"Or well, I used to not. Then I met Davian and he was like me. Lost."
Darkness washed out of Raven, the shadow of her Soul Self appearing below her. Artemis grabbed one of her last remaining special arrows.
"Then we met you. It was too convenient. At the time, I never suspected you weren't who you say you were. But I could immediately feel the caution and determination in you. You never were there for the money or the drugs. No... someone sent you to keep an eye on us."
Artemis tensed in preparation.
"After this... we're done. Leave Davian and I alone."
The half demon looked behind her, at Artemis. The archer's heart skipped a beat at the cold glare.
"Don't give him a reason to suspect that we had this conversation either."
Artemis' arm, notched arrow strung on the bow and aimed at Raven's back, lowered. She couldn't fight with the kids here. She didn't want to fight at all. But she was determined not to be her father or sister.
"Good choice."
Raven replied, before turning to the ManBats outside the dome.
"Azarath metrion Zinthos."
She chanted, channeling her energy.
The basement exploded as something huge and black broke through the chamber, sending the stones and the bricks on the road leading up to the Cathedral steps flying away.
Raven's soul self, the huge construct held the dome shield to its torso, a wordless cry escaping it's beak.
The enhanced ManBats escaped through the hole from the ground, flying into the night sky before reorienting and diving down towards the Raven construct.
Then something ripped through the group. Behind them, Davian appeared, standing on a string as he held something in his hands, a torn limb and a long beautiful sword on the other.
A Man Bat cried out, blood splashing out of it's injury as it fell to the ground. The rest flapped their wings in terror, turning to face off against the new enemy.
His Haori flapped in the non existent wind. 19 of the Man Bats left considered the young man. Davian narrowed his eyes at the creatures that were like an unholy mix between the Man Bat from earlier and the Snake creature back in Wayne Manor. Someone had to be responsible for this. It couldn't be a coincidence.
His eyes swept over Raven's soul self. He could tell through his Reikaku that the Construct seemed to be protecting them from the assault. Which meant...it was time for him to make a move.
He raised Chesha Neko and Reiryoku roared out of him. The ManBats were blasted with the full effects of his Reiatsu. Their eyes rolled to the back of their heads, their limbs lost strength and they begun to fall off the sky.
A purple grid of strings flashed in the air, whipping through the night sky to grab onto the Man Bats. Each individual creature found themselves hanging in the air, limbs locked up by purple strings that were connected to the surroundings, like the street lamp and the gargoyles along the Cathedral.
In one fell swoop, he had defeated them.
Artemis grit her teeth as Davian walked through the air, stepping on a string and using it as a medium to extend Reiryoku out, creating a platform for him to step on. It was like walking down the stairs.
He landed infront of the group just as Raven released the construct and the shield.
"Is everyone alright?"
Davian questioned out loud.
Raven turned to stare at Artemis who swallowed and quickly answered,
"There's still a kid inside."
Davian saw she was pointing at the hole on the ground. Then something came flying out, stabbing onto the brick road under them and locking in.
The hook was connected to a zip line. A second later, Robin landed on the ground with a young boy held in his arms. The boy was covered in a gray cloak.
"Jason!"
The kids cried out, running towards the pair.
"Well I guess that's that."
Davian said, relieved that the mission had gone splendidly but now cautious. Robin's presence meant that Batman was around. He made eye contact with Raven, a silent conversation going on between them.
She was telling him that they needed to go. He on the other hand simply pointed at the air, at the restrained Man Bats. They couldn't leave without ensuring they were brought in, otherwise they risked letting monsters loose on Gotham. Besides...he needed to talk to Batman. Their conversation was long overdue.
"Is anyone else hurt?"
Robin asked as he cleanly dressed a cut on the small boy's knee.
Artemis was looking over the kids but Davian sensed that something was off. Her back was to them but he could see the arrow held loosely in her hands, ready to be used.
Before Raven could bring a counterargument to Davian's argument, the rev of an engine announced the arrival of the Dark Knight. The Batmobile turned around the corner, before stopping at the entrance of the ruined Cathedral.
Davian however did not watch the car. Instead, his attention was pulled elsewhere. He turned around to stare at one of the Gargoyles carved onto the Cathedral. Batman straightened to his full height on top of it, staring down at him.
Both men maintained eye contact for a few seconds. Then it was like a switch was flipped inside Davian. All the anger came rushing out. Batman had been his hero. But it's true what they say, never meet your heroes.
"I am going to kick your ass."
Davian promised.
12 advance chapters in my Patreon.
Patreon.com/Saintbarbido.
::------------------------------------------::
Chapter 44 Never Meet Your Heroes.
(General P.O.V)
The first thing Artemis had done was scout the place. The belfry was nothing but a place that housed the huge rusty bell. She made her way down and reached the Nave, the part of the church where the congregation sat.
The aisles were covered by a thick dust with broken furniture. In addition, the room was scorched with nothing of worth. A few cardboards that looked laid on were stashed away on the corner.
The real price came from the basement. Or well, the cavern she found below the Cathedral. Sneaking in was easy for her. She was the daughter of Sportsmaster and Tigress after all.
What she saw inside instantly enraged her while also easing her worries. The kids were okay. But they were locked in a cage. Like animals. She swept her gaze around the room, descending onto the ground on a darker section of the chamber.
Past the cages, she saw the back of a man with long hair and a mask that covered the top back of his head. He was kneeling below a glass cage with a red liquid, cackling.
Artemis quickly but silently worked her way to the cage with the kids. One of them saw her coming and pulled on the shirt of another child, a girl that looked to be the oldest. She had on a blue coat.
"Shh. I'm here to help."
Artemis assured them as they huddled at the corner of the cell. Their faces were puffy from crying and their eyes were widened in fear.
"S s...stay back."
The little girl dressed in a blue coat said in a shaky voice, as she pushed the rest behind her small form.
Artemis felt her heart break. The cruelty they had seen before she and the others got here must have been traumatizing. She didn't blame them for looking at her with such suspicion.
Artemis bit her lip, her fingers working quickly to pick the lock. The doors swung open and she held up her hands, careful not to make any sudden moves.
"Hi, I'm friends with Batman who's part of the Justice League. He sent me."
She said to appease them.
Hearing that Batman himself had sent someone for them, made most of the hostility abate. Still, the girl from before was cautious as they were all ushered out.
"I need you all to be quiet, okay?"
Artemis informed them.
There was a chorus of nods as the kids understood the type of danger they were in.
Artemis frowned as each of the kids lined out and she didn't see who she had specifically come for. She didn't see Jason anywhere.
"Wait, how many of you were there?"
She asked the girl, holding her by the shoulders.
The girl blinked.
"6. We're from the orphanage. Jason saw the bad men grab us and tried to stop them but...but they got him too. He's inside that thing!"
The girl pointed at the front.
The man had straightened up and was now punching a series of keys as the security alarm sounded. He was frantic, alternating between looking at the Incubator that was holding Jason and the screen.
Artemis didn't know what he was doing but she knew it wasn't anything good.
"Quickly! Find somewhere to hide far away from here!"
She told them, turning around and burying an arrow at the back of Pyg's hand.
After that, things were a blur.
The second the enhanced Man Bats escaped out of their pods, Artemis immediately knew that the situation had gone up a level that she alone couldn't handle. She pressed a button on the bottom of her quiver while pulling out more arrows.
The party of Man Bats screamed as they dove down towards her and the kids. She used an arrow to spear through the Incubator glass, making the red liquid inside start to pour out. Cracks spread out across the glass but she was already moving.
She drew back an arrow and let it fly at one of the creatures flying ahead of the group. The arrow went wide due to Pyg's hand grabbing onto her shin.
"Dammit!"
Artemis yelled, quickly pulling out another and letting it fly with precision. The arrow exploded in to a red thick liquid, restraining the enhanced ManBat's flight.
The rest pulled back wide, changing trajectory to escape the Archer's line of sight.
The Man Bat that was taken off the air by the arrow, crashed on one of the empty cages, bending nthe metal under it's huge scaly form.
"No!" Pyg cried out.
"I won't let you destroy everything I've bui..."
Before he could say anything else, Artemis' foot landed on his cheek, head whipping to the side as he was knocked out.
"Shut up."
Unfortunately that was enough time for the Man Bats to fly in for another round. This time they came at Artemis from multiple directions.
Artemis ducked under the sharp claws, her heart hammering inside her chest. She smoothly notched an arrow and let it fly towards the creature diving for one of the smaller boys. Its claws gleamed in the small light of the wide chamber.
The arrow tore through its wings, before burying itself onto the earthen ceiling. Then it exploded, sending stones pelting the rest of the group after the kids, who were now safely hiding behind a few extra capsules.
Artemis felt a fire along her forearm as she barely dodged a claw. The Man Bat passed by her but then another grabbed onto the strap of her quiver and lifted her up.
She buried the end of the arrow in her hands, deep on it's shin and felt it drop her, only for the strap of her quiver to get tangled in the claw. It snapped and the Archer felt her heart sink. She begun to drop towards the ground at fast speeds.
Just before she landed and break half of the bones in her body, a black portal swallowed her, emptying out near the kids. Artemis felt her back land on something elastic but tough.
Her eyes opened up to see her and the kids surrounded by a purple-black shield. On the outside, their enemies were relentlessly trying to break through.
"Hey. Back Ups arrived."
Raven told her, floating infront of the group, looking out as the ManBats numbering around 20 harassed the dome with slashes of claws and bites.
They roared, barring rows of sharp teeth behind the fangs.
"Thanks for the save."
Artemis told her friend/acquittance.
"Don't mention it."
Raven replied, eyes completely black as she readied a spell.
"You know Artemis. I never told you about an ability of mine."
Raven begun.
"One that can sense other peoples emotions. Especially hostility..."
As she spoke, a chill spread out across Artemis' veins. She knew. The Archer discreetly pressed the button at the bottom of the Quiver once more.
"I don't trust people..."
Raven continued.
"Or well, I used to not. Then I met Davian and he was like me. Lost."
Darkness washed out of Raven, the shadow of her Soul Self appearing below her. Artemis grabbed one of her last remaining special arrows.
"Then we met you. It was too convenient. At the time, I never suspected you weren't who you say you were. But I could immediately feel the caution and determination in you. You never were there for the money or the drugs. No... someone sent you to keep an eye on us."
Artemis tensed in preparation.
"After this... we're done. Leave Davian and I alone."
The half demon looked behind her, at Artemis. The archer's heart skipped a beat at the cold glare.
"Don't give him a reason to suspect that we had this conversation either."
Artemis' arm, notched arrow strung on the bow and aimed at Raven's back, lowered. She couldn't fight with the kids here. She didn't want to fight at all. But she was determined not to be her father or sister.
"Good choice."
Raven replied, before turning to the ManBats outside the dome.
"Azarath metrion Zinthos."
She chanted, channeling her energy.
The basement exploded as something huge and black broke through the chamber, sending the stones and the bricks on the road leading up to the Cathedral steps flying away.
Raven's soul self, the huge construct held the dome shield to its torso, a wordless cry escaping it's beak.
The enhanced ManBats escaped through the hole from the ground, flying into the night sky before reorienting and diving down towards the Raven construct.
Then something ripped through the group. Behind them, Davian appeared, standing on a string as he held something in his hands, a torn limb and a long beautiful sword on the other.
A Man Bat cried out, blood splashing out of it's injury as it fell to the ground. The rest flapped their wings in terror, turning to face off against the new enemy.
His Haori flapped in the non existent wind. 19 of the Man Bats left considered the young man. Davian narrowed his eyes at the creatures that were like an unholy mix between the Man Bat from earlier and the Snake creature back in Wayne Manor. Someone had to be responsible for this. It couldn't be a coincidence.
His eyes swept over Raven's soul self. He could tell through his Reikaku that the Construct seemed to be protecting them from the assault. Which meant...it was time for him to make a move.
He raised Chesha Neko and Reiryoku roared out of him. The ManBats were blasted with the full effects of his Reiatsu. Their eyes rolled to the back of their heads, their limbs lost strength and they begun to fall off the sky.
A purple grid of strings flashed in the air, whipping through the night sky to grab onto the Man Bats. Each individual creature found themselves hanging in the air, limbs locked up by purple strings that were connected to the surroundings, like the street lamp and the gargoyles along the Cathedral.
In one fell swoop, he had defeated them.
Artemis grit her teeth as Davian walked through the air, stepping on a string and using it as a medium to extend Reiryoku out, creating a platform for him to step on. It was like walking down the stairs.
He landed infront of the group just as Raven released the construct and the shield.
"Is everyone alright?"
Davian questioned out loud.
Raven turned to stare at Artemis who swallowed and quickly answered,
"There's still a kid inside."
Davian saw she was pointing at the hole on the ground. Then something came flying out, stabbing onto the brick road under them and locking in.
The hook was connected to a zip line. A second later, Robin landed on the ground with a young boy held in his arms. The boy was covered in a gray cloak.
"Jason!"
The kids cried out, running towards the pair.
"Well I guess that's that."
Davian said, relieved that the mission had gone splendidly but now cautious. Robin's presence meant that Batman was around. He made eye contact with Raven, a silent conversation going on between them.
She was telling him that they needed to go. He on the other hand simply pointed at the air, at the restrained Man Bats. They couldn't leave without ensuring they were brought in, otherwise they risked letting monsters loose on Gotham. Besides...he needed to talk to Batman. Their conversation was long overdue.
"Is anyone else hurt?"
Robin asked as he cleanly dressed a cut on the small boy's knee.
Artemis was looking over the kids but Davian sensed that something was off. Her back was to them but he could see the arrow held loosely in her hands, ready to be used.
Before Raven could bring a counterargument to Davian's argument, the rev of an engine announced the arrival of the Dark Knight. The Batmobile turned around the corner, before stopping at the entrance of the ruined Cathedral.
Davian however did not watch the car. Instead, his attention was pulled elsewhere. He turned around to stare at one of the Gargoyles carved onto the Cathedral. Batman straightened to his full height on top of it, staring down at him.
Both men maintained eye contact for a few seconds. Then it was like a switch was flipped inside Davian. All the anger came rushing out. Batman had been his hero. But it's true what they say, never meet your heroes.
"I am going to kick your ass."
Davian promised.
