Hellfire Invasion(7): The Demon Army

Mira hurdled herself against the door frame, all the functional bits of the thing were gone, but it at least provided a good spot to lean onto and watch Batman work on the two corpses on the ground, well, one corpse and a pool of blood.

"Your powers?" He asked standing over the scene.

"Yep," Her words caused a groan to rise from him, it was a deep one.

"Of all the powers you could awaken…," He started and she smiled at him and continued his words, "It had to be this."

"What does it even do? Consume bodies? Unless she becomes a criminal it's useless," Robin asked from the side, he had brought along the rest of the Titans with him.

"Mass, I can increase my mass by absorbing from others…dead bodies, that's all I know for now, maybe replace my own mass too. But I will have to test that one." Mira answered him, only sparing a glance at the team.

"You two," Blue Beetle was supporting StarFire, helping her walk upright, the way he walked, the way his eyes were narrowed, it told everyone how unhappy he was, "We lost our teammate and you two? You two immediately start joking around. What is wrong with you two?" His words were coming out in a low hiss.

Mira nodded and snarked, "Yep, good observation."

Beast Boy opened his lips only to quickly be suppressed as Damien's brows furrowed, and he turned to his team mate, "No point in moping around. Just recharge yourself for her rescue."

Mira followed along with her brother, "And everyone does that differently. Me? I spend time with my family for that."

He huffed, "You two don't care about her, not at all! Don't prente—" Mira cut him off, "Her Birthday is 22nd October, she likes chocolate chip cookies, likes to play scrabble, her favourite activity is…most probably just spending time together with the rest of the Titans."

Then her lips curved into a smile, "She is the one person on the team I have spent most of my time with other than Robin. I do care for her."

Robin shook his head, "Mira, you sound more like an investigator than a friend."

She paused, right, because she was not her friend and was only reading off her memory, "Sorry, force of habit to notice things. Still, the point is, I don't want her gone. Besides, trust her for a bit, Beetle, she can take care of herself."

"You two are just…" Beetle sighed as he looked away from them, "Anything I say to you two is just, meaningless isn't it?"

"Beetle, trust is important, Raven walked out of here to her Father, it will take time for the portal to reach their destination. She was not unconscious, she will be fine."

Beetle cycled another breath, "Right, right. Sorry it just got to me."

Beast Boy finally gathered his courage and spoke up, "Yeah, blue was just, unsettled, seeing you two…joking in the middle of all this death. I mean, for the older Heroes," He paused as he realised more and more heroes were giving one ear to this conversation, "But you two are, I mean Mi—" He got cut off by an elbow from Beetle hitting his side, "Ouch! What was that for?"

"Her secret identity," A slightly older voice cut in, when Mira's eyes caught the figure it was, Nightwing.

"Nightwing!" An energy burst off Starfire as she jumped off Beetle's shoulder and landed directly into Dick's arms, stumbling over but still, "Thank God you are here!"

"I had to come, the League was under attack and you were here Star," Nightwing started greasing her as soon as he held her and Mira just looked back at the corpses only to see Batman was gone. Eyeing the surroundings, she saw him join his fellow leaguers as the terminals by the end of the room.

"To answer your question," Mira pushed herself off the wall and then, like an actor she rehearsed the script inside her mind and only then started, "I have seen worse done by men, from demons? This is expected. Besides these…people don't look like people anymore, that helps."

Damien put his hand on her head, he did not like to hear her say that, never—his childhood was robbed off him, he can at least help her live her's, they were at a carnival before all this, maybe they could got there or maybe one better, "When this is over, do you want to see an amusement park?"

She looked up at him, while her body was bigger due to…stuff, she still looked no older than thirteen and Damien was still a head taller than her, "Together with father and Oracle?"

Damien scratched his head, "Getting father to take a day off might be…I will need yout help on that."

She nodded and turned to Nightwing who immediately retreated one step but Mira and Damien's eyes did not leave him, "Ugh…Fine. Let's make this a family outing. I will ask Red and Red."

"Help us with Father too," Her words nearly caused Nightwing to bash his head in but Damien looked like he would be mighty not-happy if he did, so he reluctantly gave up and slowly nodded.

The League were just out of Earshot for the children but it was not true the other way around, mostly because no one else was talking, the hall was silent, the room littered with corpses, dead men and women who had joined the JL to help, though unpowered had died and many of these people were there friends.

Bobcat and a few others had taken the initiative to clear the room, they had gotten a good way in but it would take some time.

"Strong kids you got there," Green Lantern, John Stewart, said while leaning into his chair to Batman.

Batman who had busied himself with the computer said in between his fingers pressing down on the keyboard, "Yes, though, the strength both of them have is…" He trialled off to let his thoughts run for a second before continuing, "Damien is skilled, he is intelligent, you can say he is strong, but he has yet to learn the strength of a team, no man can change the world alone, save it alone, he is still learning that."

"Is that why you shifted him to the Teen Titans?" Wonder Woman said her eyes on a stack of papers in her hands.

"Yes, but it was something else too, he needs to face some other challenges, Gotham, there is crime in every other alley, but few of them are supernatural. In the Teen Titans he will face more of that."

"Why though?" Wonder Woman questioned, "Why does he need to face them?"

"To achieve what he wants in life. He knows that his life's dream is difficult, but he doesn't know just how in over his head he is."

Flash let a grin spread on his lips, "Batsy is being Batsy-daddy."

Batman did not respond but it was all the encouragement the rest needed to break into chuckles.

"And what about her Batman? Why is your youngest there," Hawkgirl asked.

"Mira…she should not be in Gotham, that is why she is there. Every day, from morning to midnight, if she was not studying, she was in the training room. Gotham is just poison with how she is now," His words raised many eyebrows on the table.

"Like it is to you Bruce," Wonder Woman whispered, but it reached his ears and his fingers stopped.

Then an alarm went off, the world map was lit up and its attached speakers were churning out a most unpleasant tune.

He turned around and looked at the screen.

With the press of his finger on his gauntlet the alarm turned quiet.

The whole room was quiet then.

His lips turned flat, a line was drawn on his face.

His lips opened and everyone listened, "Three hundred fifty two civilian deaths in less than three hours. Twenty two league personal dead. Thirty heroes with grievous wounds. Five, critical. Two still held hostage within their own bodies. One taken hostage. Let's make these Demons pay."

———

——

—

"That's so fucking many," Nightwing complained under his bearth, making sure to keep his voice low. His binoculars showed him a disturbing scene. Thousands of Demons. Ten of thousands, covering three concentric rings rotating about a point and in the centre of the rings was Raven.

"Copy that Nightwing, I will report the 'so fucking many' to Batman," He burined his head in the sand he was lying on for a second at the words.

"Dear Sister, there are about six thousand demons here. Please report that," He could hear the giggle pass in his head piece.

There was silence for a few seconds before the voice came back to his systems.

"Delivered. Good work, Nightwing."

He could see why Beetle called her an ass now, Mira really was an ass.

He shook his head, "Zing, really zing M. By the way, you know we can't keep calling you M right? Pick a name already."

Zooming in further he spotted Aquaman, standing guard at the base of the football stadium sized rings.

Now, Superman was left. But where was he? He shifted his visors around, and with each shift he could easily see the heads of a thousand or so Demons. But he was still not there.

On the radio there was silence for a few seconds before she replied, "Vandal."

Really? Did she really have to pick that name, "What from Vandal Savage?"

"Nope. I like the name. Fits the theme too."

What theme? Vandalising corpses for their meat? Wait, she sounds like a bloody Hannibal, "Are you serious?"

"Dead ass, now did you find the two?" He shifted it again, now he had basically scanned the entire region and nothing came of it.

"Aquaman? Yeah. Superman? No clue."

Mir—Vandal's voice was on halt for a moment again, "Batman just said to confirm Aquaman's location."

"Well Vandal that's easy, the base of the massive fucking Satanic ritual with the spinning circles."

"Roger, wait two minutes."

So Superman, where are you? Since conventional recon no work no more, time for unconventional stuff.

Now, if Dick Greyson was an Evil demon and he kept Superman in reserve, where would he keep him? The open field is just asking for someone to shoot him full of Kryptonite, in the air makes it even easier with little support from the Demon army.

"Right, Father says, and I quote, you are talking to your nine year old sister, watch your mouth and second keep searching."

Bitch, "Did you really tell him everything verbatim?"

"Obviously not, I was fucking with you. Now keep sweeping."

Damn it, who died and made Mira the coms handler for the Bat-squad. Oh right, the fact that she is utterly un-trained for recon and Oracle is running the connection for the inter Squad communication—Process of elimination basically, fucking hell, he should be the one giving everone sass right now! Not Mir–eh Vandal!

Anyway Superman, so, if you possess him, where do you keep him, no sky, not the land then where? Really it only leaves one option doesn't it?

He pressed his ear piece, "Nightwing to Vandal do you copy?"

"Got you Nightwing."

"Tell the subterranean teams to be very careful. Superman is likely going to be there."

"Copy that Nightwing, over and out."

He stood up to shift position, his next stalk was the sand dune one kilometre in.

"Nightwing, circle back to base, you are right Superman is underground, along with an entire other army."

He almost facepalmed, "Another Army? Well, throw a wrench in our plans."

Miss Handler agreed, "A bolder more like, still, I found something interesting, did you know there is an Air Base three miles off?"

"Of course we are in the US mainland…wait why?"

"Well. A surprise is in order, I need to talk to Oracle, give me a few minutes."

———

The flight deck of the 'Slink' was spacious, after all it was the Forward Operating Base of the JL. It housed everything a commander could ask for, a battle tested medical bay, a quick escape and most importantly an Electronic Command and Management interface. That and the round table for a plebiscite were also a feature, one that was currently in use.

"We can't fight that many, not unless we drag the whole League in, from all across Earth," Batman's words were leading the conversation on the javelin class ship.

"True, but we have to stop it, Dr. Fate please step in," Martian Manhunter asked for the opinion of the man in the golden hoplite helmet, "What you see happening is a summoning ritual. And when he arrives it will be quite a difficult fight, he might even outmatch Darkside in power."

"And with Superman mind controlled that could be a problem," Flash added.

Their meeting was interrupted when Green Arrow stepped into the deck, his fingers pointing out, "Your kids are here Bats, say they got an idea."

"They could have just come in," Wonder Woman added, referring to the fact that there was really no rule that restricted movement.

He shrugged, "Shy kids."

"Let them in," Batman stood up from his chair. And GA walked out.

Dr Fate snorted, "You are really going to listen to coucle from kids Batman? They have a quarter of your experience combined."

He did not respond to him, choosing to focus on Three entering the Deck.

"Father," Damian greeted him, getting a nod in return along with Nightwing, "Bruce."

Mira only nodded to him before she began, "So, Father, we heard the problem. Too many for us right?"

"Yes, too many, and these Demons seem much stronger than those Transformers, so what idea do you three have?" He asked.

"Well not really ours but her's," Nightwing stepped back one.

"Great," Batman could make out a faint scoff from behind.

"So, the reason the Tower's laser is not being deployed is to keep Raven and Aquaman alive right?"

A nod.

"Well, reading though the map I saw a US Air base ten minutes flight from here…So I called up the base with Oracle's help and here," She said as she raised her phone and at the same time the Javelins' screen started to come down and projected an image.

It was a man, fit and well, "Base commander Holly, you are online," Mira spoke.

Holly nodded, "Right, so I heard you people needed some help with your demon situation. I have received permission to help you and a shipment of bunker busters landed just five minutes ago."

Batman's gaze alternated between Mira and the Screen for a minute and then rested on the screen, "Yes, can your bunker busters punch though sand and clay caves?"

Holly laughed, "Of course it can. They are made to go through concrete. And we have close Air support too—" Batman cut him off, "Unnecessary, Superman is mind controlled he will rip any close Air support apart. Please use your missiles only."

"Hmm, I will, though I must say, we can wipe the surface clean but the underground demons? We won't be able to do that much."

"It will be enough. Thank you."

The man laughed, he said "Thank Vandal," Batman tilted his head, not knowing who that was, still the man added one more thing, "And Vandal, you remember our deal right?"

Vandal said, "Of course," as she cut off the call.

Batman had to suppress a groan at the realisation, and pinched his forehead, "That name might be a problem in the future."

"A man with his ego? There will be problems; not might Bruce," Wonder Woman chimed in still smiling, "Really men and their egos."

Mira rolled her eyes, not that anyone could see them, and turned around, "Well, that's all."

But before they could leave Fate floated down in front of the trio, "You expect human weapons to work on Demons?"

Mira did not mind the thousand year old geezer, hag, or whatever the gender neutral term is for a thousand year old bag of bones and waited for him to continue.

He did, taking a deliberately slow pace, "If human weapons worked the Earth won't need me now would it?"

The man's golden garments made him look like an amature more than anything, still he was powerful and powerful people demanded respect, so Mira started putting on butter, "Dr Fate, I understand your concerns. In fact I believe you are right, but we have to try, after all if we fail we have you to teach us don't we? I mean in terms of the mystical, we are but infants."

Fate crossed his arms, "Very well, very well, you are correct, children grow by experimentation, good job child, Vandal was it? You show promise. Unlike all those brats who don't even know how to behave in front of a Sorcerer of Order."

Mira nodded like a well behaved child and Nightwing could almost see the faked sparkling eyes hidden behind the visor.

One glance at Damien, he could almost see the words 'Bull fucking shit,' written on his face and at that moment he knew that his sister was indeed a bitch.

Of course he was never going to say that. He did not want to be castrated by Barbara after all. Well his social balls, not really his real ones.

Really, that reminded him of something, so he forcefully cut in, "Dr Fate, I heard you have recently started learning more and more about healing arts?"

Fate looked at him and gave a curt nod, "Aye, I have, but you do not look injured my boy. Is there something wrong?"

"A frien—" Before he could even say the rest Fate cut him off, "No, child, while I would like to help, I can not look after healing everyone on this Earth, A sorcerer I may be but I am no God."

"A fellow Hero, she is our support right now, her legs have been paralysed by the Joker, we were asking in her regards," Mira jumped in helping him pull the conversation along to the direction he wanted.

"I see," He pulled his hands to his chin for a second before agreeing, "Aye, a tragedy indeed, I will help her. But not now."

———

——

—

"We are going to involve the military?" That was an unsettling idea to Oliver. He tugged his bow's string lightly. It was a habit, a stress reliever.

"We are," Batman said as he stood beside him, looking over the whole demonic army. They were big, lean, their legs were thick and their arms little more than appendages to graft claws to. Oliver tugged his string again.

They were going to attack that tomorrow.

Tug the string again, Oliver, once more. Keep calm.

Batman looked at him, it was obvious what tugged at Oliver's mind, "We ask the military to keep our cards hidden."

He tugged it again.

"Our cards Bruce?"

He nodded, "Our cards."

"What cards?"

Another tug.

"Terrifying cards. Cards best left never used."

Again.

"You remember something? Why you asked for me to be on this team?"

"Yes, to keep an eye on us."

One more.

"This is it. What do we have? What do you have that you want to keep hidden?"

"We…"

One…two…three…again the sting tugged.