18 was standing in the middle of a circular room, surrounded by people in ninja outfits.
There were around 20 of them, some used weapons and others fought unarmed.
Her eyes remained closed.
Then 2 ninjas jumped and attacked her, one aimed at her back with a knife and the other executed a kick at her head.
18 reacted calmly, blocking the kick and grabbing the arm to stop the knife, slamming the kicking ninja to the floor and kneeing the other on the gut.
She kicked another one in the face, while the attackers continued to rush at her.
They threw shurikens, coordinated their attacks and tried to hide and attack using weird angles.
But 18 blocked, punched and kicked everyone, until she was the only one on her feet, while the members of the League of Shadows lay groaning on the ground.
Ra's observed her and was impressed. observing a super strong warrior, he thought that, as many others had done, the androit mostly used her powers to overwhelm her enemies, yet her technique and knowledge had reached the level of a master.
She had to suppress her power a lot to get anything out of the experience, but it wasn't just sparring; her mind was analyzing and learning.
Ra's Al Ghoul adjusted his impression of the android again.
With one final punch, the last of the ninjas kissed the ground.
Ra's walked over and saw everyone alive, whether it was mercy or training, he didn't know; perhaps he should ask later in the future, but right now, he was curious about something else.
"What do you think?"
"It is diferent, this guys are to weak to make a judgment, but if I have to put it in words, the combat styles of my universe are more focus on breaking bones and being direct, we do use faints and flexibility, still it is only to make sure we get the opening for a devastating attack, you on the other hand are very acrobatic, if a warrior from my world saw you, they would call it dance not a fight."
Ra's wasn't offended by the comment as he actually agreed in part with her assessment. Her approach was aggressive, always getting close to the enemy and engaging face-to-face. It was rare for her to move to the side or use acrobatic maneuvers; it could be described as a refined but savage way of combat.
"I also noticed you don't normally use grappling techniques or throws."
"Getting your body right next to my previous opponents, you are asking to get an explosion on your face. We clash while allowing ourselves space to dodge an unexpected blast."
"What do you think about weapons?"
"There were a few warriors who used them, pointless as it was."
"Why was it pointless?"
"Normal swords and spears won't damage our bodies and special ones are uncommon. You are able to enhance your body easier than a tool, basically, I can stop a slash with a finger unless the swordsman was way above me in terms of power and if that was the case, why bother using a piece of metal?"
"Fascinating."
18 didn't consider herself a martial arts-obsessed person. With 17, they practiced together and talked a little on the subject. They had the knowledge implanted in their heads and they had fought for years, making it their own, yet she never actually analyzed it in depth with another master.
"Do you believe your style is superior?"
"Who knows?"
A sharp smile implied she did.
"Perhaps a stronger and refined opponent will give you a better understanding of our martial arts."
"Are you volunteering?"
Ra's thought about it; he hated to admit it was a tempting offer to test his techniques against one who reached the peak of another world.
A momentary doubt, quickly dismissed, as the demon head, he wasn't about to put himself at risk.
The Lazarus well was already starting to become less effective; it was better not to use it unnecessarily. He doubted 18 would kill him by accident, but an intentional murder disguised as one wasn't as unlikely.
"I think I can get you a better-suited opponent."
"If you are that scared, then ok."
"Do you really expect me to react to such a cheap provocation?"
"I didn't hear you deny it."
Ra's just left, ignoring the smug look on the blonde's face.
She strolled to the wall where several edge instruments were displayed. She was considering actually learning to wield a sword or some other pointy stick used by humans, remembering how a girl firing a bow actually gave her a little trouble.
In the end, it wasn't worth it; best use that effort to train and become stronger herself instead of wasting energy learning to use a tool less resilient than her body.
Yes, 18 was planning to train, for the first time in a long time; she felt that there was a need to get better, to prevent what happened during her duel against Superman.
The android had become rusty; years of not having any enemies capable of competing on her level had made her complacent. 18 was unable to use her full output and honestly, if she hadn't lost her edge, she could have dealt with Superman one-on-one, without using the kryptonite lasers.
It was a sore spot; technically, it was a win, but the fact that she was forced to exploit his weakness left a bitter taste in her victory.
So now the blonde warrior was seeking the strength she used to have.
18 had to go even further. On the next encounter against the League, she'll win, not depending on help or cheap tricks.
That's part of the reason she was at the League of Shadows' headquarters; she wanted to learn the martial arts of this planet. She knew Ra's was also gathering information about her combat style, but once her training was complete, they won't be able to do anything anyway.
Honestly, she was half serious about fighting Ra's. The old man was by all measurements a weakling, yet he had centuries of experience and against a regular human, he is a terrifying opponent.
Maybe if he learned ki, he could become dangerous in a few years, not that she wanted to teach him or even know if he was able to learn.
Maybe she should experiment and try to train a native just for the entertainment value of seeing if the people here can learn to master ki.
Ever since she arrived, she hadn't gone on a rampage. It was actually something she thought of, but the feeling of not knowing if she would do it out of free will or by design stopped her from doing so.
Besides, this world had plenty to see and entertain herself; hers was already half dead, she and her brother killed everyone who got in her way, hence there wasn't much to do.
This one was still alive with a lot to do, at least for now; she had plenty to occupy herself.
For example, the supposedly perfect opponent Ra's was going to prepare for her, and she was actually looking forward to whoever got that much praise.
Now she should wait, the guy had just come back after getting killed not too long ago, at least according to what the rumors around said.
While 18 was waiting for her new toy to be delivered, the Justice League was meeting on the Watchtower.
Kent Nelson entered the conference room. He was in a wheelchair, pushed by Zatara, the Helmet of Nabu on his hands.
"I'm sorry for the wait. There were several preparations I needed to do to ensure the tower of fate is safe against intrusions."
He looked very weak, pale and sick, compared to the way he was during the incident with Klarion; it was like he had aged to his last days.
They knew the once-powerful sorcerer didn't have much longer.
"I am grateful to Zatara; your assistance was invaluable."
Zatara shook his head.
"The tower sits at the very center of the mystical power of this plane of existence; it is our duty to ensure the secrets within are guarded against those who seek to misuse them."
Kent smiled again; he was assured that all his work was going to be in good hands.
"I'm glad the new generation is so reliable."
Zatara smiled bitterly. It had been quite a while since anyone referred to him as the next generation.
Kent's expression changed to a serious one.
"The attack on the tower was worrying for many reasons, but I suspect you want to focus on one in particular."
Batman, as always, took the lead.
"You observed the two for at least two weeks. Why are they working together?"
"As I said, it didn't look like either wanted to work with the other. The girl was constantly leaving and Klarion seemed annoyed when she was around. They didn't talk a lot to each other; it was Abra Kadabra and Klarion who spoke and mainly about how to get me to talk."
Flash leaned on his chair.
"There must have been banter; they hated each other so, can you think of a comment, like if it wasn't for this and that I would destroy you, you know, typical villain bravado."
Kent thought for a second.
"There was plenty of that, still, they were careful not to say too much and mostly complained about what the other was doing; it was actually a little worse than the torture."
That earned him a few chuckles, then he continued.
"Although I do know who may be able to give you the information you want, while my senses aren't enough notice everything, Dr. Fate can access my memories and extract details I didn't even know I heard."
Captain Marvel understood and raised an objection immediately.
"But, you are not well if you put on the helmet."
"It's ok, I did everything my duties demanded, now I want to go see my Inza, I'm glad I can help once more before the end."
He put the helmet on and his frail frame disappeared in a flash of light, replaced by the floating figure of Dr. Fate.
"This body is unsuitable for me; at most, it can only hold my power for a few minutes. Tell me your questions, may his resolve bring him reward."
Dr. Fate took the bodies of those who wear the helmet. He normally didn't release them. After centuries, he understood that if a person removed it, they hesitated to put it on again. The sensation of being a passenger on your own body made it so that not many are willing to wear it again.
Kent Nelson was different; he had worn the helmet for decades, Nabu even allowed him to use it when the situation demanded it and be mostly free, because he knew that this man was prepared to do what was necessary to keep order.
It wasn't until his wife convinced him to stop that he retired. Still with Kent's help, Nabu had greatly diminished Klarion's influence for longer than with any other host. Out of respect for the old man, Nabu agreed to help the league.
Batman didn't waste a second and asked the question everyone was wondering about.
"Tell me, why are they working together?"
"It's not the first time Klarion works with a mortal; he blocks my methods to know exactly what happened, but they didn't meet by chance; someone else did the introductions and it's not solely these two; there are others, you know him well, his name is Ra's Al Ghoul."
The league was silent; they had long suspected that the villains had been making alliances. On this occasion, the fact that two who are extremely different from one another teamed up proved it beyond any doubt.
Batman didn't stay quiet for long. Kent had put his life on the line to give them the chance of getting as much information as possible.
"The Light?"
"That name was mentioned often."
Wonder Woman put her hands on the table and got up.
"So now we at least know the identities of 3 high-ranking members of the organization, we should strike as soon as we can."
Martial Manhunter spoke next.
"The problem remains the same; even knowing their identities, we have no idea of where to find them."
Green Arrow crossed his arms and furrowed his eyebrows.
"Still, if we can catch one, we'll be able to follow the trail. Now we have a starting point."
Batman stared at his friends and intervened.
"Save the discussion for later, for now we need to ask more questions."
The others nodded.
"What else can you tell us of the Light?"
"As I said, they are protected by Klarion, and the information I can access is limited; Kent did hear the visitor mentioning being weaker than before."
Captain Marvel was astonished.
"Are you saying she is less powerful now than when she was in her own dimension?"
"I have seen her power at its strongest. If she regains her full strength, it will threaten not only this planet, but also the entire universe."
This information was perturbing, as she is at the moment, the League was already having trouble stopping her, even together. If she can become much stronger, it would be hopeless and now she had the help of many of the strongest supercriminals.
"That is why this world demands Dr. Fate's presence; this body isn't able to handle my power any longer. I require a new vessel."
Silence.
The league knew what it meant to become Dr. Fate, surrendering your body and mind to allow Nabu to use it.
It was a high price to pay, but there was a reason they didn't outright refuse.
He was right if 18 came back; having him was a big advantage. She was hurt by Captain Marvel's lightning and she struggled to escape magical bindings before, proving she was at least relatively weak to the mystic arts and Dr. Fate was the strongest magic user on their side.
None of them even for a second thought about asking the rest to make the sacrifice, but they all considered sacrificing themselves, well, all except Batman, who was already thinking in ways to create a robot as a replacement. He needed to contact the technology division of Wayne Enterprises and create a whole new department for the task.
Superman stood up.
"Out of the question, we are not gonna ask anyone to surrender their body, we'll face the threat together, we may not be able to win alone, but that is why we created the Justice League. If we are not enough, new heroes will join; we are not compromising our values for an advantage.
The other snapped out of their thoughts and nodded in agreement.
Dr. Fate was annoyed by the answer, so he spoke his next words with condescension.
"The danger is too great; the forces moving against you won't wait until you are ready. I have more to offer you."
He raised his hand and an image of the shutdown control for 18 appeared.
"You lack a piece of material to make it work. I know how you can get it."
Superman wanted to refuse when he felt Batman's hand on his shoulder.
"Give us some time to think."
Superman was about to argue when he examined Bruce's eyes; he was watching the helmet with complete focus.
So Clark decided to trust him.
"In one month, I expect you to get me a suitable vessel before that."
Hal Jordan responded.
"It's a we'll think about it, not a we agree, don't twist it for your convenience."
Dr fate eyes turned cold as he stared at the smiling green lantern, then he continued talking.
"The death speaks her name. If you were able see just how many hunted souls follow her, you would understand the scale of the chaos she brings. We must act."
With that, the body of dr fate kneeled on the floor. He couldn't stay standing; using magic was pushing his host to the limit.
"One month, it should be more than enough to get a proper vessel for my power."
He removed the helmet and Kent Nelson reappeared. He looked pale and tired; falling unconscious.
The heroes took him to a hospital, where hours later, he passed away peacefully in his sleep.
They didn't come back to watchtower, the preparations for the funeral and informing the team kept them busy.
They decided to meet again after the service, the date was set and they all went their separate ways.
Batman returned to Gotham and spent the night fighting crime, in part because he had somewhat neglected the city for a few days, although it was like a workaholic delivering one less report; he alone noticed it.
Another reason was to blow off steam. Bruce Wayne didn't deal with death in a very healthy way; he did it to keep his mind occupied and patrolling the city was the best way he could do it.
Right now, he was taking down the thugs hired by Riddler in another abandoned factory, a common sight in Gotham. He had followed the clues left by the criminal and easily found the place where he was.
Of course, Batman knew it was a trap, but the Ridler had kidnapped the daughter of a judge and all the evidence pointed to this place as the location where he had her.
When the last of Riddler's men fell to the ground, the voice of the criminal mastermind came from the speakers hidden around the factory.
"Tell me, Batman."
A photo of the kidnapped girl was nailed to the wall at the end of the hallway he was walking in.
"What binds the innocent in chains of sorrow and despair, yet lets the wicked walk shackle free whitout a care?"
Batman arrived at a door with a number keypad. He quickly noted that only the 1 and the 0 had been slightly worn out. Understanding Nigma used binary code, he typed the sequence.
01001001 01101110 01101010 01110101 01110011 01110100 01101001 01100011 01100101.
The door opened for him and he found the girl trapped in a glass box. She spotted him and screamed, but no noise came out.
The Ridler appeared on the elevated platform with his signature cane.
"Detective, honestly, I expected you here sooner. Had you been busy?"
"Let her go, Ridler."
"Why of course she will be free to go, if you proved yourself intellectually capable of besting my genius."
The glass box shook as a chain pulled it into the air, and a computer was revealed behind it, the pc was sitting on a safe, while Riddler smiled.
Multiple locks were connected to the computer, so to open it, he had to either hack it or solve whatever puzzle Riddler had planned.
"I discovered that dear old judge Hagirds had been taking bribes to rule a certain way, including giving a company the rights to use their employees' inventions as their own without paying royalties or acknowledging their contributions and even voiding patents to allow them to claim them."
This scenario was very similar to his own story, so of course, he was livid when he found out.
"Now, Batman, inside the glass cage, there is a deathly neurotoxic gas released when I finish explaining. The antidote is inside that safe. You have 20 minutes to open it and administer it to her, or she'll die. Now, go."
The gas was released and Batman ran to the computer.
The entire screen was black. He looked around and saw a Riddle on one of the screens.
[A hidden fact, I bring to sight, shadows deep, into the light, I end the mystery, dark and tight.]
He typed the word"disclosure," and the screen turned on, a new riddle appeared, then a sound of a cannon being fired, and a heavy metal ball flew at his head. He dodged with ease; that was just a warning.
He solved multiple riddles and every one he figured out came with a deathly trap.
Occasionally, a new puzzle would come from hidden panels on the walls.
Finally, he opened the final lock and with 5 minutes left on the clock, he moved to get to the box.
The glass box was lowered to the floor, the girl was already unconscious, Batman deciphered the last riddle and opened the box, quickly he injected the antidote and carefully moved her to the exit.
While listening to Riddler complaining about his failure and promising revenge.
When he got out, he saw the police arriving at the scene and Jim Gordon getting out of his car and running towards him.
"What is the situation?"
"She needs medical attention. I'm going to chase the Riddler."
With that, he used his grappling hook and flew towards the building.
It didn't take long to find the Riddler running through the alleys trying to escape the police. Batman catches up with him, landing behind him and causing the villain to panic.
He ran desperately and entered an empty warehouse, where Batman caught him and grabbed him by the shirt.
"It's over, Riddler."
"I still have one extra riddle for you."
He smiled.
"We are the part of the bird that's not in the sky. We can swim in the ocean and yet remain dry, we are as big as the whales and small as the ants, what are we?"
Before he could react, he felt multiple stings on his body.
Darts had struck him in the moment he let his guard down; most were stopped by his suit, yet a few managed to get through. His vision was getting blurry and he saw multiple people dressed as ninjas, surrounding him.
Ra's Al Ghoul was staring him in the eyes as he lost consciousness.
(chapter image)
Announcement:
Now I am going to slow down a bit; I'll write a chapter a week every Sunday and I will do two if I can.
I already have an ending planned, so if at some point I decide to stop, I'm gonna end the story.
Thank you for reading so far. Let me know if there is anything to improve. I'm open to feedback and looking to get better.