AN: I am giving you guys a double release today as an apology, I have been slacking off on writing this after purchasing Starfield, Baldur’s Gate 3, and my Analogue Pocket. Between those two games and all the old Pokemon games I have been playing again, my free time has plummeted drastically. The nostalgia has been real…playing the original Pokemon Silver, Gold, and Crystal after not touching them in over twenty years makes me feel really old.
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Going unnoticed by the Parademons flying through the skeletal remains of skyscrapers, it was evident who likely caused all of this. Wondering if Constantine accidentally dropped the Wild Hunt at Darkside’s doorstep, I really hoped that Darkside did not give them Apokolytian Tech but it would explain quite a lot of things.
“What the hell are those things?”, Ciri whispered sticking very close to me, “They look almost like Demons.”
“They are called Parademons, they are more closely related to a Chimera. All of them were once normal people living on planets around this universe. Through Apokolytian Science, they were genetically altered into those abominations and are constantly being improved by Darkside’s scientists.”, I informed her, “With every new world they conqueror, any powerful beasts or entities they encounter get added to the genes of the Parademons. In one universe, they hold the DNA of a brutal and nigh-unkillable creature called Doomsday. That particular universe ends up on the verge of collapse as the League is almost completely obliterated by those Parademons.”
“How tough is this Doomsday? Is it possible he could have followed me through one of my portals!?”, she panicked.
“He cannot use magic so he could not follow you after you.”, I assured her, “As for his strength, he is on par if not stronger than Superman. In several universes, the two of them kill one another in a slug match. That said, Doomsday will usually revive himself in time as he is pretty much immune to death…a really stupid power in my opinion.”
Laughing in agreement with me, Ciri was thankful she did not have the misfortune of running into him. Carrying on with our conversation for a bit longer, we stopped as we drew near the bay. Hearing people talking on the pier about the ongoing situation, I told her to remain silent just in case they were enemies.
Acknowledging my answer without a response, we came upon a group of people huddled around a trash can fire. Using magic to confirm they were human before approaching, I joined them around the fire with a friendly nod. Looking over at me, the group was intrigued by my attire and asked if I was one of the Leaguers.
“No, I am a freelance superhero.”, I replied with a smirk, “My name is Kessler, I am from the Midwest…or what is left of it anyways. Came out here hoping to find the Blue Boy Scout or the Dark Knight maybe, any chance they are nearby?”
“Sorry friend, they moved on a few days ago when those flying monsters came back.”, one of the older men told me, “If you are smart, you will keep moving before they realize you are with the League. They have a bounty on all of you which is mighty enticing for quite a few people around here.”
“You not going to try and turn me in yourselves?”, I asked ready to take them down if they tried it, “I would really like to avoid harming all of you, if possible.”
“Forget it kid, none of us are stupid enough to fall for that crap. They say that we will get paid, but the payment is liberation via evisceration.”, he remarked with a bitter look, “Watched several young idiots turn Leaguers in only to be vaporized moments after the transaction completed. Even though the world has gone to hell in a handbasket, I would like to keep on living as normally as possible. Besides, you look like you still got your mojo so you would probably kill us.”
Confused by what that meant, the sound of approaching Parademons sent the men running for shelter. Deciding that now was not the time to reveal myself here, I grabbed Ciri’s hand and ran further out onto the pier. Preparing to teleport the two of us across the harbor, one of the men called out to dissuade us from going any further toward the water.
“Kessler, hope you ain’t thinking about taking one of those boats. They got monsters prowling the waters in the bay, you will be lucky to get fifty yards out before they sink your boat and eat you alive.”, one of the men warned me as he cowered in his makeshift shelter, “Do not go getting yourself killed kid, you may be our only hope for survival!”
“Thanks for the warning, I will keep that in mind.”, I chuckled before teleporting Ciri and I across the bay.
—Gothom Harbor—
Arriving on the pier, the awful stench of chemical waste greeted us with open arms. Having already assumed that Gothom Harbor smelled terrible, based on the comics, I could not believe how rancid it really was. In my humble opinion, the stench was far worse than any diaper or vomit mess I had ever cleaned up. Looking over at Ciri to make sure she was coping, she was already on the verge of puking her guts out.
Creating a purified pocket of air around her head, she began violently gasping for air and coughing loudly. Giving her a moment to calm her breathing and stabilize herself, Ciri thanked me for blocking out the smell as she would not have lasted much longer.
“This stench is far worse than any corpse eaters I have had the displeasure of killing.”, Ciri commented, “The harbor did not stink this much last time I was here, I swear it. When Barry took me to a nearby cafe, it was a picturesque view with the usual salt air smell one would expect from the sea.”
“Wow, hold on a minute…you went on a date with Barry!?”, I gasped as we walked toward the road, “How much money did he bribe you with?”
“It was not a date.”, Ciri scolded me, “Barry is a great guy, but…he jumps from woman to woman looking to find love too fast. Instead of committing to a single woman and slowly building a rapport with her, he flirts with several women hoping that one will take the bait he is setting. Unfortunately, he forgets that women talk and gossip with one another so it usually bites him in the ass. If he would just slow down and get to know them, he would easily find the love he is looking for.”
“That lines up with what I can remember, he is too fast for his own good.”, I chuckled, “Telling him to slow down is like asking Batman to stop brooding, it just does not happen.”
Giggling in agreement, Ciri acknowledged that the comparison was a fair assessment and quite humorous at that. Stepping out onto the main roadway, the stech started to clear up as a breeze began to blow. Once the smell was gone, I severed my spell so Ciri could regain her stealth. Walking down the relatively unscathed street, I began to think that Metropolis had been demolished during a fight between Darkside and Superman.
As I began thinking about all the different possibilities that could have happened, three Apokolypian Hover Tanks came around a street corner. Unsure why they were using tanks instead of Parademons, I was going to pay them a visit when a voice called out to me from one of the buildings close by us.
“Hey Mister, get inside quickly!!”, a young boy called out to me as he opened his door, “Hurry up before they see you and blast you to bits!”
“I will be okay kid, just stay inside.”, I remarked throwing a hand gesture to Ciri to have her give me some space.
Spotting me moments later, the three tanks swiveled their guns at me and began ordering me inside. Warning me that failing to compile would result in my sudden death, I flipped them the bird and told them to kiss my ass. Without skipping a beat, the three gunners fired on me and expected an explosion to occur almost immediately. Raising my Polarity Wall instantly, the three projectiles slammed into the shield and were converted into energy for me. Sensing far more energy than I was used to receiving flow into me, I recalled that Darkside’s military did not use conventional weapons.
‘They have energy weapons…right…’, I thought as a smirk crossed my face, “You have really bad aim fellas!”
Falling for my taunt, instead of recognizing I might be with the Leaguers, the tanks began blasting me with a barrage of lasers and plasma shells. Cutting loose with my Lightning Draw, their attacks and electricity from the nearby power lines began arcing into me. Marching defiantly toward the tanks, the soldiers inside threw their vehicles into reverse and attempted to run away from me. Launching myself forward leaving a trail of powerful explosions behind me, I closed the gap between us instantly and jumped onto the nearest tank.
Siphoning every watt of energy they had, the Hover Tanks crashed into the ground no longer able to fly. Ripping the hatch off the one I was standing on, I reached in and pulled out who I thought might be the Tank Commander. Pulling out a hidden knife from within his sleeve, the man attempted to stab me in the gut as I hoisted him out but the blade broke in his hand.
“No way!!”, he shrieked, “What…what are you!?”
“Your executioner if you refuse to answer my questions…”, I informed him.
“I will not betray Lord Darkside!”, he defiantly claimed.
“Well, that is a pity…”, I replied changing my grip to his face, “I had hoped to spare the public watching this little game the horrors of your screams. Unfortunately, I do not have the time to slowly torture it out of you, so it is a very painful way for you.”
Digging my fingers into his skull, the man let out a horrid scream as bioelectricity began arcing from his body into my hand. Writhing around in agony, he ordered his men to kill him now.
“If I get the information from him, I do not need to do this to any of you.”, I reminded them.
Tossing their weapons out of the hatch, the other soldiers inside the tank scampered and got on their knees. Holding their hands behind their heads, they wanted to make it as clear as possible that they did not want to fight me.
“Traitors!!”, the commander screamed before dying.
Tossing him into the roadway, I took a moment to process the information he had. Catching glimpses of Apocolypse, the Fall of Earth, and several other events…I discovered that Darkside had not met with the Wild Hunt at all. According to the Tank Commander, Darkside hacked into Cyborg’s system and determined that the League was in a weakened state. Seizing upon the opportunity, he attacked Earth and promptly overwhelmed the Justice League.
‘So something else weakened the League, and Darkside was the finishing blow…that complicates things even further.’, I thought before encasing the men and the other two tank crews in Ionic Ice.
Tossing the three men and the two other tanks into my storage, I jumped off the tank and turned back to Ciri. Finding citizens poking their heads out in shock, everyone looked relieved to see the occupiers subdued by me.
“Thank you Static Shock!!”, one of the women called out from her balcony, “You are the best!!”
“I am not Static Shock, my name is Kessler!”, I refuted throwing the last tank into my storage, “All of you stay inside and stay safe, leave this to the Professionals!”
Calling Ciri over to me telepathically, the two of us continued on toward Wayne Manor and the Batcave.
AN: I am giving you guys a double release today as an apology, I have been slacking off on writing this after purchasing Starfield, Baldur’s Gate 3, and my Analogue Pocket. Between those two games and all the old Pokemon games I have been playing again, my free time has plummeted drastically. The nostalgia has been real…playing the original Pokemon Silver, Gold, and Crystal after not touching them in over twenty years makes me feel really old.
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Going unnoticed by the Parademons flying through the skeletal remains of skyscrapers, it was evident who likely caused all of this. Wondering if Constantine accidentally dropped the Wild Hunt at Darkside’s doorstep, I really hoped that Darkside did not give them Apokolytian Tech but it would explain quite a lot of things.
“What the hell are those things?”, Ciri whispered sticking very close to me, “They look almost like Demons.”
“They are called Parademons, they are more closely related to a Chimera. All of them were once normal people living on planets around this universe. Through Apokolytian Science, they were genetically altered into those abominations and are constantly being improved by Darkside’s scientists.”, I informed her, “With every new world they conqueror, any powerful beasts or entities they encounter get added to the genes of the Parademons. In one universe, they hold the DNA of a brutal and nigh-unkillable creature called Doomsday. That particular universe ends up on the verge of collapse as the League is almost completely obliterated by those Parademons.”
“How tough is this Doomsday? Is it possible he could have followed me through one of my portals!?”, she panicked.
“He cannot use magic so he could not follow you after you.”, I assured her, “As for his strength, he is on par if not stronger than Superman. In several universes, the two of them kill one another in a slug match. That said, Doomsday will usually revive himself in time as he is pretty much immune to death…a really stupid power in my opinion.”
Laughing in agreement with me, Ciri was thankful she did not have the misfortune of running into him. Carrying on with our conversation for a bit longer, we stopped as we drew near the bay. Hearing people talking on the pier about the ongoing situation, I told her to remain silent just in case they were enemies.
Acknowledging my answer without a response, we came upon a group of people huddled around a trash can fire. Using magic to confirm they were human before approaching, I joined them around the fire with a friendly nod. Looking over at me, the group was intrigued by my attire and asked if I was one of the Leaguers.
“No, I am a freelance superhero.”, I replied with a smirk, “My name is Kessler, I am from the Midwest…or what is left of it anyways. Came out here hoping to find the Blue Boy Scout or the Dark Knight maybe, any chance they are nearby?”
“Sorry friend, they moved on a few days ago when those flying monsters came back.”, one of the older men told me, “If you are smart, you will keep moving before they realize you are with the League. They have a bounty on all of you which is mighty enticing for quite a few people around here.”
“You not going to try and turn me in yourselves?”, I asked ready to take them down if they tried it, “I would really like to avoid harming all of you, if possible.”
“Forget it kid, none of us are stupid enough to fall for that crap. They say that we will get paid, but the payment is liberation via evisceration.”, he remarked with a bitter look, “Watched several young idiots turn Leaguers in only to be vaporized moments after the transaction completed. Even though the world has gone to hell in a handbasket, I would like to keep on living as normally as possible. Besides, you look like you still got your mojo so you would probably kill us.”
Confused by what that meant, the sound of approaching Parademons sent the men running for shelter. Deciding that now was not the time to reveal myself here, I grabbed Ciri’s hand and ran further out onto the pier. Preparing to teleport the two of us across the harbor, one of the men called out to dissuade us from going any further toward the water.
“Kessler, hope you ain’t thinking about taking one of those boats. They got monsters prowling the waters in the bay, you will be lucky to get fifty yards out before they sink your boat and eat you alive.”, one of the men warned me as he cowered in his makeshift shelter, “Do not go getting yourself killed kid, you may be our only hope for survival!”
“Thanks for the warning, I will keep that in mind.”, I chuckled before teleporting Ciri and I across the bay.
—Gothom Harbor—
Arriving on the pier, the awful stench of chemical waste greeted us with open arms. Having already assumed that Gothom Harbor smelled terrible, based on the comics, I could not believe how rancid it really was. In my humble opinion, the stench was far worse than any diaper or vomit mess I had ever cleaned up. Looking over at Ciri to make sure she was coping, she was already on the verge of puking her guts out.
Creating a purified pocket of air around her head, she began violently gasping for air and coughing loudly. Giving her a moment to calm her breathing and stabilize herself, Ciri thanked me for blocking out the smell as she would not have lasted much longer.
“This stench is far worse than any corpse eaters I have had the displeasure of killing.”, Ciri commented, “The harbor did not stink this much last time I was here, I swear it. When Barry took me to a nearby cafe, it was a picturesque view with the usual salt air smell one would expect from the sea.”
“Wow, hold on a minute…you went on a date with Barry!?”, I gasped as we walked toward the road, “How much money did he bribe you with?”
“It was not a date.”, Ciri scolded me, “Barry is a great guy, but…he jumps from woman to woman looking to find love too fast. Instead of committing to a single woman and slowly building a rapport with her, he flirts with several women hoping that one will take the bait he is setting. Unfortunately, he forgets that women talk and gossip with one another so it usually bites him in the ass. If he would just slow down and get to know them, he would easily find the love he is looking for.”
“That lines up with what I can remember, he is too fast for his own good.”, I chuckled, “Telling him to slow down is like asking Batman to stop brooding, it just does not happen.”
Giggling in agreement, Ciri acknowledged that the comparison was a fair assessment and quite humorous at that. Stepping out onto the main roadway, the stech started to clear up as a breeze began to blow. Once the smell was gone, I severed my spell so Ciri could regain her stealth. Walking down the relatively unscathed street, I began to think that Metropolis had been demolished during a fight between Darkside and Superman.
As I began thinking about all the different possibilities that could have happened, three Apokolypian Hover Tanks came around a street corner. Unsure why they were using tanks instead of Parademons, I was going to pay them a visit when a voice called out to me from one of the buildings close by us.
“Hey Mister, get inside quickly!!”, a young boy called out to me as he opened his door, “Hurry up before they see you and blast you to bits!”
“I will be okay kid, just stay inside.”, I remarked throwing a hand gesture to Ciri to have her give me some space.
Spotting me moments later, the three tanks swiveled their guns at me and began ordering me inside. Warning me that failing to compile would result in my sudden death, I flipped them the bird and told them to kiss my ass. Without skipping a beat, the three gunners fired on me and expected an explosion to occur almost immediately. Raising my Polarity Wall instantly, the three projectiles slammed into the shield and were converted into energy for me. Sensing far more energy than I was used to receiving flow into me, I recalled that Darkside’s military did not use conventional weapons.
‘They have energy weapons…right…’, I thought as a smirk crossed my face, “You have really bad aim fellas!”
Falling for my taunt, instead of recognizing I might be with the Leaguers, the tanks began blasting me with a barrage of lasers and plasma shells. Cutting loose with my Lightning Draw, their attacks and electricity from the nearby power lines began arcing into me. Marching defiantly toward the tanks, the soldiers inside threw their vehicles into reverse and attempted to run away from me. Launching myself forward leaving a trail of powerful explosions behind me, I closed the gap between us instantly and jumped onto the nearest tank.
Siphoning every watt of energy they had, the Hover Tanks crashed into the ground no longer able to fly. Ripping the hatch off the one I was standing on, I reached in and pulled out who I thought might be the Tank Commander. Pulling out a hidden knife from within his sleeve, the man attempted to stab me in the gut as I hoisted him out but the blade broke in his hand.
“No way!!”, he shrieked, “What…what are you!?”
“Your executioner if you refuse to answer my questions…”, I informed him.
“I will not betray Lord Darkside!”, he defiantly claimed.
“Well, that is a pity…”, I replied changing my grip to his face, “I had hoped to spare the public watching this little game the horrors of your screams. Unfortunately, I do not have the time to slowly torture it out of you, so it is a very painful way for you.”
Digging my fingers into his skull, the man let out a horrid scream as bioelectricity began arcing from his body into my hand. Writhing around in agony, he ordered his men to kill him now.
“If I get the information from him, I do not need to do this to any of you.”, I reminded them.
Tossing their weapons out of the hatch, the other soldiers inside the tank scampered and got on their knees. Holding their hands behind their heads, they wanted to make it as clear as possible that they did not want to fight me.
“Traitors!!”, the commander screamed before dying.
Tossing him into the roadway, I took a moment to process the information he had. Catching glimpses of Apocolypse, the Fall of Earth, and several other events…I discovered that Darkside had not met with the Wild Hunt at all. According to the Tank Commander, Darkside hacked into Cyborg’s system and determined that the League was in a weakened state. Seizing upon the opportunity, he attacked Earth and promptly overwhelmed the Justice League.
‘So something else weakened the League, and Darkside was the finishing blow…that complicates things even further.’, I thought before encasing the men and the other two tank crews in Ionic Ice.
Tossing the three men and the two other tanks into my storage, I jumped off the tank and turned back to Ciri. Finding citizens poking their heads out in shock, everyone looked relieved to see the occupiers subdued by me.
“Thank you Static Shock!!”, one of the women called out from her balcony, “You are the best!!”
“I am not Static Shock, my name is Kessler!”, I refuted throwing the last tank into my storage, “All of you stay inside and stay safe, leave this to the Professionals!”
Calling Ciri over to me telepathically, the two of us continued on toward Wayne Manor and the Batcave.
