Son Of The Bat (Son of Batman Reader x Raven)

Chapter 8.3

    A large gate opened in the ceiling. A circular hole, the five blades spinning out of the way of the pink flower petals falling from a red sky. Not a sky, a domed glass roof.

The machine was lifted on a large platform, Blood and his associates standing in front of them. His followers cheered as they entered the arena. Blood wore a red helmet and yellow shoulder plates over his robes, standing there enjoying the glorified cheers of his cult members, of his HIVE.

But Starfire wasn't having it, "You think yourself a holy man, Blood? You're filth." "Take heart, sinner. You are about to become part of the greater good." Blood replied. "We're gonna show you the greater good," Jaime objected. "By kicking your ass!"

Jaime tried to pull free, all of the Titans did. Except for Nightwing. He was conscious, but unmoving as he stared forward, not forward, at Deathstroke. "No god's going to save you, Slade."

The man in question turned to Blood. "Word to the wise, Blood. Whatever you're gonna do to them, do it quickly." Blood waved to Mayhem, who began to click buttons on her control panel.

She raised a slider, and the same red energy field that was used with the man in that basement type room, was fired up. And the cuffs on each Titan glowed red, and painful screams ensued as they were drained of their power.

Nobody was handling it well, and Gar looked on the verge of passing out as he said: "Not feeling... so good." "I consider their pain a retribution for their sins against me." "Right. Have a nice day," Slade turned to leave, but two guards stopped him, forming their glaives into an 'X'. "Oh, don't leave now, brother. Everyone stays for this part."

Slade turned back to Blood, as if to ask 'Did you really just say that to me?'. "What part is that? Brother." "When their powers are transferred, and I ascend to god state." Blood turned to address his followers: "Hail me, brethren. For the moment of ascendancy has arrived." "Hail, brother Blood. Hail, hail."

Mother Mayhem was brought to tears as she watched. "Yes, my children. This vessel shall now transform me. And you are witness." Two armrests ejected from below the energy, and Blood grabbed onto them, multicolored electricity sparking on his fingers.

It slowly enveloped his whole body. Purple, green, blue, yellow, red. "Yes. I feel it. Yes! My godhood is nearly complete." Blood screamed as Mayhem let tears fall down her cheeks. "Praise him. All hail Brother Blood."

Mayhem turned as another robed figure fell to the platform behind the phalanx of guards. He ripped the robe free, revealing one singular man standing under it: The Red Hood.

His helmet shined in the light, the white leather on his jacket shoulders and under armor, and the twin pistols in his hands. He fired bullets, the lead lodging into a few guards. As the other ones charged him, he used his guns as melee weapons.

He struck one in the head with the barrel of the gun and fired, sliding under another one's weapon as he returned the strike. The butt of his gun hit the man's head, and an electric shock was sent through his enemy's body. When he fell to the ground, three holes were evident around the impact zone. Due to the spikes on the bottom of Jason's mags.

He kept firing, and Blood kept absorbing his new power as Jason used his guns to beat up another guard. He caught his weapon between his own, parrying it and swiping his weapon, sending the man flying to the ground at his side.

Two more fired, and he landed a shot on one, the slide on his right gun locking back to show he was empty. As he used the mag to drop another guard, Mayhem opened fire on him.

Both of his guns out of ammo, Jason threw a batarang into her control panel, and it exploded in her face. All the while Blood's eyes glowed red, then purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and returning to red.