Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Seeing Red

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 31: Monsters

Yucatan Peninsula

Ten minutes prior, a huge bright circle had appeared over the jungle, a giant black aircraft flying through. Inside the Justice League members let out a collective breath, happy that they had not been disintegrated. Barry Allen sat next to Batman, who was piloting the craft.

“So… it worked.” the Flash said, stating the obvious, since they were all still alive. “How far away are we? I can go to the ground and run, scout out the area.”

“The team stays together until Diana tells us to split.” Bruce told him in an eerily calm and stoic voice. Barry never would have thought that out of the five on the plane, he was the one without superpowers. Of course the armored suit he wore probably gave him as much power as Curry at least, while not bestowing superstrength, definitely surpassing him in weaponry.

“Damn it.” Bruce whispered. “There is too much red energy around the area. I have no communications with Alfred. I can’t even get a line to Kelex. We are blind to the outside world. He chose his area well.”

“So we have no way of communicating with J’onn to make sure the Danvers are safe.” Barry surmised, not liking that at all.

“There is no need.” Diana told him, walking into the cockpit, armored up and ready for battle, judging by the look on her face. “J’onn has fought for hundreds of years and is very powerful. I have faith that he can defeat any enemies. Alex is, no doubt, always armed. The Danvers will be fine. Bruce, please hover here and let’s gather in the main bay to discuss the plan.”

Without comment, Batman slowed the large transport to a stop, three hundred feet above the dense jungle.

The two entered the main bay where the Batmobile was parked, along with the armored, small jet, the same one Barry suspected could turn into an ATV and he had used to clear a path into the Myriad base six years before. Curry, John Stewart and Diana were waiting on them.

“Bruce, John, the battery is there, probably deep inside the Pyramid” Diana told them. “It needs to be destroyed. Once it is gone, no matter what, Atrocitus has no means of luring Kara off Earth. Arthur, Barry and I will attack from the front. Can you surmise any positions, Bruce?”

Batman slightly nodded. “I know a large energy source is in the front of the Pyramid, straight ahead, six miles from here. There is an even larger source inside the pyramid. I have no doubt that the battery is protected inside in some way, perhaps trapped passages. I can find my way in. We must assume that Rankorr wasn’t Atrocitus’s only remaining follower. There could be more around the battery and with him. Once the three of you are off, I will swing far south, and Stewart and I will exit and take care of the battery and any other potential problems.”

Stewart wasn’t crazy about this idea and spoke up.

“I can’t destroy a battery with my ring. Batteries, especially a Red battery are one of the strongest…”

“I will handle the battery.” Bruce cut him off. “Follow my lead, do as I say, and everything will be fine.”

The Lantern almost laughed. Yes, Bruce Wayne had lots of toys and was an amazing fighter, for a human with no powers. But if there were other Reds inside the pyramid or under it, he would be of no use to Stewart.

“Fine.” he agreed, not confident but not feeling like arguing the point. “Let’s say we can blow up the Battery. The ring could be anywhere in the world. If you really believe it is going for Supergirl, getting another Red like Gardner to use the battery may be the only way to get her off the planet, before she burns the Earth.”

Curry stepped up to the man.

“I understand where you are coming from, but nobody is going to have anything that controls her in some mindless state. We can handle it. If you come back and that battery is not destroyed, I’m going to put a trident through your chest. We understand each other?”

“Stewart” Barry cut in. “Are you one of the Corps or are you one of us? Make up your mind before you become involved. If you are one of us, do as Bruce says. If you aren’t, go back to Jordan and hide, or do whatever you guys do while the rest of us protect Earth. Nobody gets that battery and leads her anywhere. She won’t take the ring anyway, no matter what. Kara knows what is at stake. What is it going to be? With us, or with them?”

“I told you all already, I am with you. Just pointing out a possible problem. You want the battery gone, me and the billionaire will figure out a way to take it out.” he told them.

Stewart had figured out quickly that only Diana really trusted him on this team. To the rest, it seemed like they put up with him because Diana wanted him involved. Once the Guardians learned of his involvement in League missions, such as taking down alien drug and weapons operations, he would have to deal with that fallout but had decided it was worth it. Although he believed they were all too emotionally invested in Supergirl to make a solid strategic decision, if he was ever going to prove himself, he had to go along.

“Bruce, lower us to just over the canopy, and the three of us will approach the main target.” Diana told them. “Swing wide to avoid any other possible red energy blasts and do not delay. We will have no communications with each other on the ground. Follow the plan and above all, win. Atrocitus dies today.”

Once Bruce had gone to the cockpit with Stewart, Curry, Diana and Barry stood by the unloading ramp. Diana spoke softly to Barry, not in the commanding voice she had just used that reminded him that she was a woman who had trained for a thousand years in battle, but in the softer tone of a friend.

“There is a large clearing in front of the Pyramid. It is closed to the public for renovations, but the area is clear of workers. Either they have taken the day off or Atrocitus has killed them. You must stay back, no matter what, until I give the signal. Stay out of sight, just as we planned. I know you will want to attack, Barry, but we have no idea if you can breach his shields. We get one shot at this. When the time comes, are you sure you can do it?”

“Yes I can.” he assured, her, the conviction obvious in his voice. This thing wanted to turn the woman he loved into a monster and use her as a weapon in a war that was none of their concerns. Atrocitus had to die and Barry would be the one to kill him.

Raleigh, North Carolina

The Danvers family, minus Kara who was packing in preparation for her and Alex’s move a mile away, were taking Clark on a tour of the underground area of the neuro research department where the X Ray and MRI equipment were kept. All of them were nervous but tried to hide it from each other. Kara had not been left alone in a very long time without one nearby, and while they agreed this was a big step for her, they were all concerned.

“Oh no.” Eliza whispered. “They have been powering up the magnets. I can’t get signal on my phone. Can any of you?”

Father and daughter both checked, seeing no bars.

“Alex do you have a com?” Jeremiah asked

“No, Kelex usually contacts me by phone. I need to get upstairs and check on her.”

“No you don’t.” a man said, small, older and not recognizable to the Danvers but wearing a lab coat. The figure morphed into J’onn Jonzz.

“J’onn?” Jeremiah realized, making him even more nervous.

Even in his Martian state, they could tell he was worried.

“You all need to get to the Hangar and take the transporter to the Fortress. Stay there, until it is safe.”

Jeremiah tensed, looking at his family and knowing Kara was the most vulnerable with Alex and Clark here. He never should have left her alone, Eliza’s idea that she needed space and trust shouldn’t have swayed him.

“What happened? Where is Kara?” he asked, practically running to the stairwell that would lead to the ground level.

J’onn had no problem keeping up, changing into Henshaw’s form. Once he made sure that the Danvers were safely in the Fortress he would be speeding to Metropolis.

“What happened?!” Alex practically shouted.

“The League found Atrocitus in Mexico. He made his whereabouts obvious. I was sent here to protect you in the event he planned to have others take you, and force Kara to take the ring. They couldn’t pass up this opportunity and have gone after him. A… a monster has been unleashed in Metropolis. Kara… Kara is fighting it. I don’t recognize the species, but it had killed over one hundred people before she arrived.”

No one said anything else, not seeing the point until they could be on their way to the Hangar.

They all entered the family SUV with Jeremiah driving and a nervous Clark in the back between J’onn and Alex, considering flying off to help Kara.

Alex contacted Kelex.

“Why the hell did you take the crystal out of her? Or did she do it herself?” Alex shouted into the phone, while pulling up the News reports on her phone.

“She instructed me to take the crystal out to battle the alien in Metropolis. When I refused, she took a crystal from the main console and severed her ulnar and femoral artery. I was forced to take the crystal out to save her life. Afterward, she took the war armor and left. She landed in Metropolis five minutes later. She has been battling the creature for ten minutes in downtown Metropolis.”

“Damn it!” was all Alex could think to say. Of course Kara would cut herself and force Kelex to take the crystal out. When Kara wanted something, she usually found a way to get it.

The older sister looked at news reports and her blood ran cold. Though there was no live coverage due to reporters on the ground running for their lives, but there were early shots of the creature. She recognized it.

“Dad? You went over the data of Zor El’s science experiments, right?”

“Yeah… please don’t tell me one is on Earth? Is it one of the creatures we classified as World Killers?”

“Worse.” Alex told him in a shaky voice. “Its the one you called Doomsday. The creature you said had no weakness. He is here. Kara is fighting him.”

Jeremiah moaned, and hit the median, passing cars, driving faster than he ever had in his life.

“Doomsday?” Eliza asked, remembering the research both Alex and Jeremiah did on the monsters Zor El created. “I thought you said he couldn’t be killed? He was in deep space, contained. There is no way he is here. He couldn’t be.” she prayed.

“He is. He came out of Lex Corp. Somehow that bastard snuck it past us.” Alex told her.

“Or Atrocitus placed it there.” Jeremiah suggested, his mind going over every bit of info he had on the nightmare. When the man had studied the files, he wasn’t sure if Zor El wasn’t a bigger monster than the ones he created for Krypton’s so called, greater good.

“J’onn, go. I will make sure they get to the Fortress and be right there.” Alex assured him. “This thing can regenerate and on Earth could possibly have heat vision. He doesn’t have a mind to use his other powers, but he is practically unkillable.”

“Kara can hold him off. She is smart and won’t try and take him head on. She will lead him away.” J’onn assured her, giving Alex a quick glance and then looking at Clark. She understood. J’onn would be the only one capable of holding Clark back if the boy tried to help Kara. Once they were in the Fortress, J’onn would leave to help. If Clark got involved, a big mess would just become bigger.

“Kelex, get Scarlett ready.” Alex ordered.

“There is nothing you can do, Alex. Your most powerful weapons wouldn’t make a dent in that creature.” J’onn pointed out.

Alex shook her head. “I can distract him. She is on her own. I won’t it that happen. Kelex, she has a com?”

“She has it off. I cannot talk to her, only hear her commands. She hasn’t said anything, but according to the vital readings of her suit, she is taking tremendous damage and is still locked into combat with the creature.”

No one said a word for the rest of the five-minute drive, thankfully devoid of police presence.

It took the three of them two minutes to enter the Hangar and Fortress, J’onn practically pushing Clark who was begging his mother and sister to let him help. Once they were tucked away, Kelex would most likely bathe the Fortress in red light to keep the boy there.

As soon as they were gone, so was J’onn. Alex suited up and entered her craft. It would be a twenty-minute flight but at the rate Kara was going, standing toe to toe with that monster, the fight wouldn’t wouldn’t last ten.

Metropolis

Kara had faced many nightmares in her young life. She had fought almost every species and never doubted she was more powerful.

This time was different. For every shot she delivered to the creature, he had returned, with more force than even she was capable of. Two very tall buildings were in danger of falling around them, simply from the shockwave of the two colliding.

The creature also had heat vision. She tried to counter with her own but the difference in power was obvious. She couldn’t take him down and barely disengaged and moved out of the way before her brain was incinerated.

She was also bleeding. Her eyes were nearly shut and her nose was broken, her jaw cracked.

Yet, she kept attacking. The heroine had to give residents a chance to run and keeping this creature in combat with her was the only chance they had.

Picking herself up from the lobby of a building, she shot forward, hitting Doomsday in the gut, knocking him back. The monster stood quickly, and Kara’s heat vision struck him in the chest, finally burning into him. It did not last. He fired a blast of heat vision in response, causing her to move and barely miss the large rays.

Noticing her ankle had also broken at some point, she decided now was the time, if ever.

Over the years, Kara had not only discovered how to replicate red sunlight but yellow as well. The gold surrounding the House of El symbol and the gold bands around her thighs were not there for only fashion purposes.

“Kelex, activate the solar bursts. Give me full power!”

The gold on the suit glowed brighter, the undersides infusing Kara with pure solar energy. She could feel herself healing, her ribs realigning, her jaw straightening and her nose healing, allowing her to breathe easier, as well as her ankle straightening, allowing her to stand without it collapsing.

Unfortunately for her, while the solar rays did their job, Doomsday’s chest had already healed from the heat vision blast and he jumped, fist raised, ready to slam her into the pavement where she stood.

Before the creature could land the killing blow to her head, a chain wrapped around its neck, a blade digging in and it was pulled back to the ground. A spike was driven into it’s eye as Lobo straddled the creature, trying to find its brain.

Doomsday shrieked in pain and grabbed the Czarnian, tossing him into Kara.

Kara rolled Lobo off her and stood up, keeping her eye on Doomsday and noting the creature had already pulled the spike out of its eye, ripped the blade from its neck and was healed.

“I can do this all day, big boy.” Kara told her father’s creation. “As long as this planet revolves around the sun, I’m not going anywhere.”

Lobo stood up next to her and pulled a handgun from his side, firing a large plasma bolt into the creature, not moving him an inch.

“That’s not good.” the bounty hunter whispered.

“Lobo this thing can’t… it heals faster than either of us. Its stronger than I am. I just have to keep it busy as long as possible while Metropolis evacuates. Get out of here. You can’t take it.”

Lobo shook his head, not surprised by her response. Kara’s first inclination in a tough fight was always to go it alone.

“And let you have all the glory? No way in hell, kid. My face will be on t shirts and posters after this is done. We take this thing together or we fall together. Besides, I am betting we have reinforcements soon. The Greens may stay out of things, but Gardner’s Reds can never resist a fight like this.”

Almost on cue, Lobo’s prediction came through, a giant red circle opening in the sky high above.

Five figures flew out and red rage energy, formed one single beam that burned through Doomsday’s back and out his chest.

Kara took a brief look and saw a human in red and black, with four aliens, one a blue skinned female with bones extending from her back as if wings used to be present. Another was humanoid but had a head resembling a goat. A female with blue skin and bright red hair, wearing what amounted to a red one-piece bathing suit and a red clad humanoid, with a horned helmet, also appeared.

“Bleez,” Gardner shouted, swooping down from above and landing by Kara and Lobo. “Let’s get this ugly bastard in a crossfire. Skallax, Razor, Laira, take flanking positions and give it everything you got.”

Kara noted that none of them matched the description Barry had given of Atrocitus and realized these must be the Reds who had defeated him, and Gardner was the one who took leadership. Not sure if she completely trusted them, Lobo obviously did and that was enough for Kara. The girl added her heat vision to Gardner and his teams’ red energy blasts, along with Lobo’s rifle, keeping Doomsday from moving. They were not burning the creature, but right now, for the first time since the battle had begun, Kara felt they had the upper hand.

Yucatan Peninsula

The trio of the Flash, Diana and Arthur Curry moved through the dense rain forest surroundings carefully, slowly, too slowly for Barry’s taste. Atrocitus knew they were coming, so he wondered why they bothered. The demon was waiting for them.

Diana held up a hand, stopping them.

“The ground has been moved in various places. He may have laid mines for us. The weaker we are when we reach him, the better his advantage. He wants to distract us at least, if he cannot kill us.” Diana whispered. “Arthur, can you sense any water close by?”

Curry closed his eyes and placed the rod of his trident on the ground.

“There is an underground stream, leading to a natural well flowing near the Pyramid. Want me to bring it up?”

“Yes, all of it, flood the area as much as possible.” Diana instructed.

Curry closed his eyes and growled, the trident in his hands glowing.

Barry couldn’t believe what happened next. Water geysers shot from the ground, spreading out and moving towards the pyramid, even up small elevations. Curry had brought the water to the surface and was guiding it, spreading it out and clearing a path. Once the water had reached out of his sight Diana placed a hand on his shoulder and closed her eyes, listening.

“Now, Barry. Electrify the water.”

Barry vibrated instantly, static electricity surrounding him. Once he had sufficient lightning, the Flash knelt in front of Curry and touched the water, then watched as the lighting flowed along the wet path.

Explosions were set off, as the mines Atrocitus had planted were electrified, triggering them all. Trees were knocked over, leaving a nearly clear path to the Pyramid.

“Stay behind us, stay as hidden as possible and wait for my signal.” the woman instructed him, her and Curry taking off at high speed, not jumping but sprinting. Barry held back, not vibrating, annoyed but ready and trying to keep his mind off Kara, and on the mission at hand. Kara was safe, her family was safe. He believed that. He had to.

Batman had glided through the air, landing softly in between the trees, before Stewart had landed. He didn’t want Stewart’s green glow attracting attention to his flight. Once the Lantern landed beside him, the two moved.

“There is a door to the side of the stairs leading to an underground catacomb.” the man told him, the sonar on his lenses and armored helmet telling him all he needed to know about what was inside waiting for him. “I hear two… yes, two figures there moving, pacing. They are most likely Reds. Give me a three-minute head start and then follow me in.”

“A head start? You plan to engage them alone?” Stewart asked, disbelieving. The man really was as crazy as he heard.

“I don’t expect you to defeat two Red Lanterns. Just keep them busy. That’s all you have to do.”

Batman was gone without another word.

At two and a half minutes he heard explosions, and thirty seconds later, saw the far side of the Pyramid light up in red.

His three team members had engaged.

John Stewart followed directions, his ring feeling the power of the Reds and their damn battery down the tunnels. He had no doubt he would find them with a dead Batman soon enough.

He did find them, but Batman was nowhere to be seen.

“Veon, Sheeko.” he greeted the two, a duo that had been missing and presumed dead since the Sinestro War. He knew that they both wanted Sinestro released from prison on Oa, so they could kill him. If Atrocitus promised them an invasion of the home of the Guardians with Supergirl, it made sense that they would join him.

“It has been a while, Stewart. “the green woman who resembled more of a skeleton than a living being, greeted him. Her appearance and her robes made her appear to be an old crone, but he was not fooled. She was very powerful. The purple, one eyed alien next to her was not bright, still too consumed by rage to offer much in the way of intelligent conversation. Even after the Blood Lake, he had given into his rage at Sinestro too often, allowing the ring to slowly take back over his mind.

“Are you and your Lanterns still watching over the Earth in the event Kara Zor El loses her mind, or perhaps you are truly here to protect the White Martians from her. Pathetic. No matter. Soon she will be ours, where she belongs, and the Green Lanterns here will have no more worries. She has other places we need her to be.”

Stewart shrugged his shoulders. If there was any doubt who they were after before in his mind, it was gone now.

“I think we have that base covered. It’s a baseball term. Look it up, Hag. I am here for that battery and Atrocitus. Leave now and you may live. Don’t and things are going to get ugly.”

Sheeko, once a respected Judge of her planet and now a woman hellbent on revenge, no matter the cost, didn’t waste time on more chat. Her and Veon unleashed their rage energy towards Stewart, who barely had time to form a shield construct. The blasts sent him back, but he held strong. He could have overpowered either of these on their own but fighting two at once was too much. He had to trust his teammate. All he needed to do was keep them distracted, focusing their energy on him and trying to survive.

In the front of the Pyramid, Atrocitus had smiled and greeted Diana cheerfully.

“You didn’t bring your entire team? One Lantern in the back and the two of you. You will not surprise me this time, Old God. Your friend must be an Atlantean. I expected more of a challenge.”

“You overestimate yourself.” Diana told him.

The monster fired his ring, a powerful blast that was slapped back in his face by Diana’s gauntlets. She pulled her sword and charged, Curry taking the right. Atrocitus formed two construct swords and began defending himself, deflecting a trident and a sword. He had worked on his blood magic and knew how to counter the sword of the Amazon effectively.

Diana and Curry were blown back by the man’s red shield, a storm of red energy lighting the area up. Diana rolled in front of Curry and protected them with her shield while the man grabbed her sword from the ground. When the storm ended, Curry threw his trident, clipping Atrocitus’s ear and sticking deep in a rock of the Pyramid.

The first Red Lantern howled in rage, being even slightly wounded by the Atlantean weapon. As Diana suspected, he lost his cool and unleashed the full power of his ring towards the two.

The Amazon absorbed the energy, though it pushed her back.

“Now Barry!”

Curry, taking her cue, threw her sword wide right of Atrocitus.

The Red Lantern never saw the Flash streak in and catch the sword. His full power on Diana, his shield was easy to break.

Atrocitus looked at his hand when the rage energy flowing into the Amazon stopped.

At least he looked where his right hand once was.

Now it was a stump, the hand and the ring on its finger lying on the ground, his acid blood pouring out.

Barry Allen stood in front of him, sword in hand and grinned before he brought the sword down on the red ring, cutting it in half and then brought it up so quickly, Atrocitus never saw or felt his head being separated from his shoulders by the ancient weapon in the Flash’s hand.

The three Justice League members watched in silence as Atrocitus’s blood consumed his skin and bones then burned into the ground.

Inside the pyramid, John Stewart had been backed into a wall. He was being attacked from both the right and left and it took all his will power to keep his construct up. If it failed, he was dead. Luckily, if there was one thing that made a great Green Lantern, it was will power and John Stewart was one of the strongest in the Corps. Once he made his mind up, nothing could stop him, a trait that had led him underground in Mexico, taking on two of the strongest Red Lanterns in the Universe.

The attack stopped, just before his shield was inches from his face. Looking, he saw that the heads of his enemies had dropped, cut off from behind while they had used all their energy on him and none to cover their backs. The bodies hit the ground and a figure shrouded in black stood tall, katana in hand.

“All the weapons you have, and you go with a Japanese sword?” Stewart asked. “How the hell did you get past them?”

“A group I trained with once was called the League of Shadows. They had that name for a reason. We have two minutes to get out of here before the battery goes up.”

“I thought you needed me to figure out a way to destroy the battery?”

“I needed you for a distraction. I placed a bomb made of a small Omegahedron and blue dwarf star matter inside the charging port.”

“You idiot! It could have gone off the second you placed it there!” Stewart shouted.

“It was worth the risk. It won’t matter if we don’t get out of here.” Batman told him and ran, Stewart trying to keep up.

“That explosion could wipe out miles, including this structure!”

“I was never a fan of pyramids.” he countered.

The two reached outside and too Stewart’s surprise, the sound of battle were gone. Either Atrocitus killed his new teammates or they had won and killed him, something several Green and Red Lanterns had died trying to do.

The transport flew overhead, and Bruce fired a grappling hood into the open loading bay, moving as quickly upward as Stewart could fly.

Right after they had entered, Curry and Diana landed inside, Curry holding Barry by the shoulders. Bruce did not bother going to the cockpit, instead using the remote on his wrist to send the craft speeding off, causing everyone to stumble and nearly fall out of the bay.

The door closed, and they rushed to the cockpit, Bruce taking the controls and reaching five hundred miles an hour in ten seconds.

Even with the distance covered, the explosion shocked them all. The noise was deafening, and the shockwave made the transport tremble. Bruce banked to the left and made a wide circle.

What used to be the Great Pyramid of the Yucatan Peninsula was a now a deep crater in the ground, the dense jungle that had surrounded it for miles flattened, trees that were not burned were uprooted and toppled.

“We just destroyed a major historic landmark.” Stewart whispered in shock.

“They got more pyramids.” Curry pointed out. “We won. Besides there is no one around. We can just blame the Green Lanterns if you assholes ever show your faces.”

Barry tried to wait patiently for the aircraft to clear the area, but his patience was at an end. As if Bruce was reading his mind, the man contacted Alfred.

“Bruce,” Alfred started, never a good sign. Alfred insisted on propriety. If he left off the title, things had gotten bad while they were out of contact.” I’ve been trying to contact you for the last hour. You and your team need to get to Metropolis, now.”

“Are the Danvers okay?” Barry asked into the com. “Kara is safe?”

“The Danvers are in the Fortress. Kara is fighting some sort of monster in downtown Metropolis. It doesn’t seem to have a weakness. Others have joined the fight, but they are all down except for Kara and Alex. Alex is in the air, trying to provide support but none of her weapons are having an effect. Only Kara has enough power to battle it and she has been constantly beaten. Metropolis is trying to evacuate but there are too many citizens in a panic.”

“Copy.” Batman told him calmly, feeling anything but calm inside. “We are eight minutes away from the nearest jump point and can exit twenty miles away. That means fourteen minutes. Have my jet ready over the shipyard.”

Barry felt as if he had ice in his veins. How had Kara gotten her powers? She probably cut the crystal out herself. Now she was fighting a monster that was stronger than she was. He didn’t know what help she had but if they were all down, including J’onn, it had to be unlike anything this planet had ever seen. The Flash knew the only creatures even capable of making Kara bleed were White Martians and a race she had ran off from Earth called the Vrangs. Even those races were weaker and much slower than she was and only touched her when she was drunk. She had to be sober now and was still taking a beating.

“Damn it.” Diana whispered. “He never planned to go after the Danvers. This was his play all along. Draw us away, cut off communications and unleash a killing machine on Metropolis. Whatever power you have in reserve, use it now. If she can’t beat it… she will either die or accept something that will allow her too.”

Metropolis

Kara’s earlier good feeling was gone. Lobo had been struck by the creature’s fist in the chest. Doomsday had punched straight through his body and the man lay dead for the moment until his heart could regenerate.

The Red Lanterns were all on the ground. Doomsday had unleashed his heat vision, taking them all out. Kara could hear their heartbeats, she thought, but all were unconscious at least.

She had also just frozen J’onn. The Martian had foolishly stood in front of her to absorb a heat vision blast. This heat vision was strong enough to catch the Martian on fire. Before he could burn to nothing, Kara covered him and unleashed her freeze breath, stopping the burning, saving his life but essentially freezing him. Until he thawed, he was out of the battle.

Only her and Alex remained, Alex in the sky, making wide circles and strafing the creature. When it turned its attention to her older sister, Kara attacked, using heat vision and brute strength before it could retaliate against Alex.

Even with this strategy, Alex had barely missed being taken out three times.

Kara begged her to back off and Alex would, only to attack from another direction.

Supergirl attacked once again, deciding to try and twist the creatures head off, hoping that two more didn’t pop up due to regeneration. She didn’t know if she had the strength but was certain she could not stop him with heat vision.

Doomsday ignored Alex’s attack this time, grabbing Kara by the neck before she reached its head.

The monster hit her in the face and continued punching her, then slammed her into the ground. A foot stomped her chest, cracking the House of El symbol, shattering the armor over her chest. Grabbing her by the foot, he lifted her up and slammed her back down once more. Kara tried to stand up, delirious but her fighting instincts kicking in. A foot to her ribs sent her flying back into a pile of concrete, steel and glass that used to be a high-rise apartment building.

She tried to open her eyes, having difficulty. They were swelling she knew, she had blood pouring out of her mouth and the pain in her abdomen and difficulty breathing told her ribs were shattered and she was bleeding internally.

Kara had never taken this much damage. Her fight with Astra, as brutal as it had been, had never taken this much out of her. She thought her leg may be broke but that was lost in the bundle of other pains she felt. Her head was foggy, she couldn’t think straight, couldn’t talk to Alex, couldn’t tell her to run.

Kara knew she was dying. The only choice she had left was to stand up, to try and continue to fight until the creature finished her off. In the back of her mind, she briefly thought of the beautiful house, her dream home she had just finished. She thought of Barry and his laughter, her and Alex on their beach, flying with Clark over the waves, her mother and father’s hugs.

None of that mattered now. She knew she was dying. It was only a matter of time. She just had to make sure Alex got away.

Forcing herself to stand with a scream, she nearly fell once again but her leg, fractured at the fibula managed to hold her up.

“C’mon! Finish me! Do it!” she shouted.

Despite knowing this was the end, she was not angry or frightened, only determined and resigned. It made sense to her. She had escaped death on Krypton only to be killed by one of her father’s creations. She had to distract it long enough for Alex to realize it was hopeless and wait for reinforcements, whoever they may be.

Doomsday instinctively knew that the blonde Kryptonian was done. He felt an annoying slight pain from above and turned towards it, determined to finish it off.

A blast of heat vision lit up the sky, following Alex this time. She couldn’t rise fast enough, and the back of her beloved aircraft was gone, struck in the tail.

As he was programmed, Kelex had been monitoring the situation from the Fortress. When the aircraft was struck, he activated the ejection, separating the small cockpit and the nose in front of it from the wide wings that nearly circled the jet. The escape pod Alex now found herself in was not very maneuverable, but she managed to land hard sliding into rubble at high speed, while the main body of the craft exploded in the air.

Through Kara’s blurred vision and rapidly swelling eyes, she only saw the explosion, never witnessing Alex breaking off from the aircraft and crash landing.

Kara had just seen her sister die. Her Alex was gone.

The resignation of death disappeared. The determination, the thoughts of those she would leave behind gone.

All she felt was rage. Alex was gone.

Kara’s world lit up in red.

A ring was before her, a red ring and nothing else. The entire world disappeared except for this ring.

Somewhere in her mind, a voice was telling her not to do it. But that voice was drowned out by one thought. The girl who had shown her kindness, saved her, held her, stood by her no matter what, shared secrets with her, had just died before her eyes.

The ring was talking to her.

“You have great rage, Kara. You belong with us. Your sister dead, friends, innocents, all will die because you are too weak. Give in. You know you belong. You are a Red Lantern. Take the ring and unleash your hatred.”

The idea of a ring taking over her vision, speaking to her as if it was a sentient being, did not seem strange. Kara had no room for thoughts on what was strange at that moment. All she knew was she wanted revenge, she wanted to kill and to do that, she needed power. The rage in her mind and heart were overpowering everything else.

She remembered the men who had their guns aimed toward Jeremiah and Eliza, while Clark cried, Henshaw telling her that she belonged to him, that he would take her family and kill them if she didn’t do as he said.

Kara remembered every time she was ever called a whore, an arsonist in school, every time Alex was called a bitch for standing up for her. She remembered Lex Luther saying she was an idiot who would belong to him. Kara remembered Astra and Non. She remembered her father, not even saying goodbye on the runway, Jor El, telling her she was just a tool, the feeling she had when Kelex informed her Barry had been hurt in the particle accelerator explosion, and later learning Harrison Wells had killed his mother. The hatred she felt at herself for standing by and allowing Zoom to kill his father, nearly kill Barry.

Then she focused on what she had just seen, a monster, her father’s creation had killed her Alex.

All these thoughts and memories ran through her head in seconds.

“You belong with us, Kara. Say it. Take the oath and the power is yours.”

Kara reached out for the ring and it slipped on her hand easily, fitting as if it were made for her and her alone. She knew the oath. She had known for a while but didn’t remember where she had heard it.

“With blood and rage of crimson red, ripped from a corpse so freshly dead, together with our hellish hate, we will burn you all, that is your fate.”

Kara felt her blood turn to fire, her heart stopped beating and a surge of power she had never felt before burst through her body. A fire burned her mind and Kara Danvers was lost to the blood lust inside her.

Doomsday stopped his run towards the girl, blown back by a bright red light. The creature hell bent on destruction planned to finish the alpha predator he had been fighting and move on to the next, killing, destroying, doing what he had been created to do.

Instead of the nearly dead girl who had been his target, a red and black clad blonde appeared, floating in the sky, her eyes red, flames flickering from them. Her injuries were healed, her clothes different, her smell different.

Now the formerly blue clad enemy was decked in black and red armor, a strange symbol on her chest, no longer the one he hated, and her blood red cape billowed behind her. The creature was confused. This was not his target but a new one.

It didn’t matter. Doomsday sought out the strongest opponents and the power emanating from this one was almost intoxicating to the creature.

Doomsday was incapable of feeling fear. If he had been, the monster would have run.

Kara was also incapable of fear now, only seeing the abomination in front of her that she knew had taken everything from her. She didn’t know her own name, her memories were gone, but her instincts were intact.

The blonde struck the creature with her right hand where the ring resided, hard enough to cave in the right side of his skull. Doomsday was thrown back. The monster stood, looking for his target again, his head already healing. His target was stalking him, walking slowly towards him. He didn’t smell fear.

Doomsday unleashed his heat vision, only to have it deflected by a small hand back into its eyes. The creature stumbled back in pain, the vision in its left eye gone. Trying to track its prey, it saw a flash of red and black and felt a hand enter its stomach followed by a burning he had never felt before.

Kara screamed, unleashing her rage though her ring inside the creature. Her mouth was inches from the monster’s face and unleashed a fiery blast of ruined blood onto its face, followed by heat vision, stronger than Supergirl had ever had. Doomsday felt its eyes go, the molten liquid burning its head away. The burning light inside it was spreading, destroying it from the inside with the power of Kara Danvers rage.

What remained of the body dropped to the ground. Kara removed her right hand from Doomsday but continued to expel her fire from her mouth and eyes. Doomsdays remains lit up in red and exploded, disappearing, disintegrating, until there was nothing left., not even scraps of bone.

Kara stood over the spot her enemy had once been. Her breathing was rapid, and she had no target. Her enemy was gone.

The power she radiated was so strong the Red Lanterns awoke, and slowly stood, their rings being energized from her presence alone.

Guy Gardner looked at her. It was obvious who this had been. The outfit she wore was the same as the armored blue she had on before but black and red, the symbol of their Corp prominent on her chest.

“Oh shit.” he whispered and motioned for the other Lanterns to stay down, to not appear threatening until he could figure out a way to contain her, to form a tube to Ysmault and drown her in the Blood Lake.

Kara noted the Reds around her had awoken but paid them no mind. She recognized, even in her mindless state that they were hers. She was more powerful, and they would not challenge her. She slowly turned, looking for enemies, looking for anyone or thing to unleash her hate on.

This is how the Justice League found her a minute later, Bruce landing nearby, Barry having jumped from the transport and ran down one of the few remaining buildings, and Diana and Arthur landing next to her. Stewart stayed in the sky.

He wasn’t high enough. Kara felt the green energy and looked up, finding him quickly. Rather than flying, she sent a burst of heat vision Stewart foolishly tried to block with a construct. It burned through it easily and went through his shoulder, sending him falling to the ground.

Diana thought of approaching her. She had no idea how to contain a Red Lantern, she only knew how to kill them and that was not an option in her mind.

The Amazon heard a moan from behind and glanced quickly.

Alex Danvers was stuck in an escape pod and trying to get out. The woman moved quickly to her, away from Kara. Pulling off the canopy with ease, she unbuckled the straps and helped her stand. Alex had a huge gash on her forehead, but it was not deep. It was possible she had a concussion.

“Kara?” Alex asked, not quite sure where she was yet but knowing Kara had been in trouble.

Diana looked over and saw she had Kara’s attention.

“This is not good.” the Amazon whispered. “Kara, listen to me. Try to think. Remember who you are.” she shouted.

Kara did not remember. She was only driven by instincts and rage. The two were strong in her mind now. Instinctively she knew the short haired brunette was hers and she was injured. The new Red Lantern saw a woman standing over her, obviously meaning to hurt her. Those were the only reasons she needed to raise her right hand and send an incredible burst of energy towards the armored woman.

Diana had a split second to raise her gauntlets, the force of the blast sending her back. She tried to plant her feet, but the energy kept coming, sending her back, her boots digging up pavement in the streets.

Kara stopped, believing she had killed the woman. No power could stand up to her. The girl moved in front of Alex, taking a protective stance, her growls warning those away.

Bruce watched all this in shock, almost paralyzing him. His worst fear had come true. Atrocitus may have been dead but in a way, he still succeeded. Kara’s eyes were orbs of fire, red energy bleeding off her.

“Barry, talk to her. You might be able to get through to her.” Bruce suggested.

“He won’t.” Gardner told them, finally standing and inching closer toward the place where Kara stood guard over the woman she knew was hers. “The only way she will get her mind back is by taking her to Ysmault. We have to restrain her somehow. That’s not Kara Danvers right now.”

“Then why is she protecting her sister?” Batman countered. “Barry, you can do this.”

Barry knew he could. Up to this point he wasn’t sure what to do. She had just sent Diana flying away with ease. If not for protecting Alex, Barry had no doubt she could have killed the woman. Diana had once quipped that only a god could kill another god but right now Kara looked like a goddess of death and destruction.

Instead of running towards her, Barry pulled back his mask and slowly approached her. He had gotten within ten feet of Kara when the heat became too much to bare.

“Kara? Its me, Barry. I need you to calm down. Everyone is safe now. You saved everyone. Its okay now. You did it. Do you know who I am? Do you remember me?”

The blonde stared at him for a moment, her eyes turning bright blue, something Barry considered a win, even if the rest of her was coiled and prepared to kill.

“Barry? Help me.” Kara moaned.

Gardner and the rest of the Reds heard her.

“She talked.” Bleez whispered. “That’s never happened before. A new Red doesn’t talk.”

Gardner was shocked as well. She was protecting her sister and she recognized and spoke to the man in front of her. Maybe Kara Danvers was closer to the surface than he thought.

“I will help you, Kara. Look, Alex is right behind you and she is okay. The monster is dead. You can relax now. Can you do that for me? Can you relax, and we can go see Clark?”

“Barry… I can’t… control… I’m sorry.”

“Its okay. I will help you. Just take deep breaths and keep looking at me. Alex is about to take your hand, okay?”

Gardner and the rest of the people watched in fascination. Gardner knew this shouldn’t be possible. She shouldn’t be able to talk. Perhaps they could get her to willingly go to Ysmault.

His good feeling was shattered when a green circle appeared in the sky.

“This is not good. They can’t be here.” he whispered to Batman. Gardner took off, hoping to get to whatever Green was coming out to leave. He was certain Stewart was alive, despite lying in a pile of rubble with a hole through his shoulder but she had attacked him on instinct. The last thing they needed were more Greens setting her off.

He was too late. Jordan, Rayner and Cruz exited the portal and sent blasts towards the girl, constructs designed to hold her.

They should have known better.

Kara’s attention was taken away from Barry when the green blasts hit her in the head.

She showed no effect from it, other than her eyes turning red once more. The girl launched so fast the boom sent Barry to the ground and Alex rolling back.

Kara attacked Hal Jordan, grabbing him by the throat and sending him to the ground. Had his ring not protected him, the force of impact would have shattered every bone in his body.

Crus and Rayner foolishly tried to fly away. Rayner’s right hand was burned, her heat vision breaking the barrier with ease and striking the green ring. The power ring was knocked off and the man began falling. Jessica Cruz dove for him, catching him before he hit the ground and covering them both in her green shield. Unfortunately for her, Kara broke through the shield with heat vision hitting her lower back, sending both crashing to the ground next to Jordan.

The blonde landed near them and walked forward slowly, taking in her prey, deciding which to kill first.

Barry moved in front of her quickly, trying to talk to her but she walked past him as if he wasn’t there. As she reached for an injured Hal Jordan on the ground, a glowing lasso wrapped around her.

Kara turned and saw Diana holding the rope that bound her. Grabbing the rope, the Kryptonian pulled the Amazon toward her, hitting her in the face when Diana was in striking distance.

Diana held on to the rope and was pulled to Kara once more. She knew Kara was preparing to hit her with heat vision or the ring and Diana had serious doubts whether she could survive. Making a last-ditch effort, Diana channeled all her power into the lasso.

“Who are you?” she asked loudly, trying to bring Kara back. If she could only get her to talk again, perhaps they could bring her back.

Instead of getting an answer, Diana found herself in a different place.

It looked like hell, only rock, darkness, except what was lit by raging fires. The heat was real, the ground beneath her feet solid and the smell was horrid.

Had she been transported somewhere? Was this the underworld and she was dead?

Diana heard a whimper behind her. She saw in the light of the fires surrounding them a small blonde girl curled into a corner.

The woman approached her slowly. The child was obviously frightened by her surroundings.

Kneeling in front of the little girl, Diana brushed her blonde hair away from her face, revealing a set of the bluest eyes.

“Who are you?’ she asked again, knowing the answer.

“Kara.” the girl whispered. “I’m scared.”

“I know you are.” Diana told her soothingly. She had only been transported to another’s mind once when Ares had done it to her. Now it appeared her command to speak to Kara had been obeyed. She was inside the girl’s mind. “I need you to come with me. I want to take you out of this place. You have people who love you that want to see you.”

The girl shook her head.

“I can’t. The monster won’t let me. I can’t stop her.” the girl told her in a quiet, frightened voice.

“Yes, you can. She won’t hurt you, I promise. There is no monster. You only think there is.”

Kara shook her head and buried her face in her arms.

“Her name is Kara Zor El. There is only one way to stop her. You have to kill her. You have to use your sword and kill her. Its the only way. You have to.”