84 Infinity Island #84
"I'd hoped the secret society, or at least the Demon Head, would throw in the towel after taking enough losses," Micah remarked with a weary sigh, his fingers turning the space-stabilizing device over in his hand.
"But they just kept doubling down, and now they're even developing countermeasures for my power... just how the hell did I manage to ruffle their feathers so badly?" He added, crushing the sphere in his palm.
It seemed his retreat into obscurity and pursuit of peace wouldn't be as straightforward as Micah had envisioned, not with the Secret Society doggedly on his heels no matter where he went.
"Well, looks like I'll have to teach them an even harsher lesson before they back off," he muttered, casting a determined glance at Rattigan. "It's been a while since we've had some excitement, hasn't it, rat? Whatever your reason for sticking around, today I'll give you quite the spectacle," he continued.
Rattigan shot him a disdainful look and emitted a series of disgruntled chitters, but ultimately settled on Micah's shoulder, cozying up as if it were his own personal throne.
Micah's otherwise apathetic expression cracked with a fleeting smile, though it vanished almost as quickly as it appeared. "First stop, Infinity Island," he declared, ripping open a rift in space with one deft motion and stepping into the swirling cosmic void that beckoned before him.
...
Infinity Island, nestled in the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean, boasted a striking feature: twin volcanoes that dominated its landscape. Once home to native inhabitants, the island's fate took a dark turn in the 17th century when Ra's al Ghul, thirsting for power and control, seized it.
With ruthless efficiency, he enslaved the islanders, transforming their home into a paradise for his followers and a hellish nightmare for the enslaved.
Today was no exception. Descendants of the island's original inhabitants toiled under the oppressive gaze of Ra's al Ghul's minions, their labor extracting the island's wealth to swell the coffers of their tyrannical overlord.
Each day unfolded in a cruel routine, where compliance brought a scant reprieve from punishment, and rebellion invited brutal retribution.
For these natives, resignation was survival. They understood the harsh reality: obedience meant surviving with minimal lashes, while defiance led to a gruesome demise under the whip.
To them, Ra's al Ghul was not a man but a malevolent force, an immortal entity who bartered his soul for immortality, wielding the secrets of life as yet dealing nothing but death.
He was a demon incarnate, a specter spawned from the fiery depths of hell, and not a day passed without the islanders praying for his return to the infernal abyss from whence he came.
The island's oppressive routine shattered as a fracture ripped open the sky, unveiling the starry expanse beyond. Through this rift emerged a young man, clad in a sleek black suit with a crimson shirt, accompanied by a regal rodent perched on his shoulder.
Both the island natives and Ras's minions took notice of the intruder, prompting a swift reaction from the latter, who swiftly encircled the newcomer as he touched down on the island's sandy shore.
Unfazed by the sudden assault, Micah's apathetic gaze swept over the assassins closing in on him. In an instant, the shadows beneath him coalesced into solid tendrils, striking out at the attackers with lethal force.
Some were sent hurtling away, their bodies broken upon impact, while others writhed in agony from crippling injuries.
Micah spared no glance for the fallen as he continued to wield his powers with precision. Javelins of golden light materialized around him, skewering the remaining assassins who dared to encroach upon his space.
Once he dispatched the assassins, Micah's attention shifted to the twin volcanoes dominating the island's landscape. "Ras Al Ghul, you coward! Come out and face me!" His voice echoed across the desolate island, a challenge thrown into the void. But the only response that greeted Micah's call was an eerie silence, broken only by the faint rustle of the League's assassins, scrambling in the shadows.
"Fine! If you won't come to me, then I'll bring the fight to you!" Micah's frustration boiled over, his body lifting into the air above the island. With a commanding gesture, he tore open a spatial rift, revealing the vast expanse of deep space beyond.
Focused and determined, he extended his hands toward the rift, a surge of tangible purple energy flowing from him and into the void. Suddenly, the rift trembled, its stability threatened as a massive meteor hurtled through from the other side, crackling with purplish energy.
Micah wasted no time, directing the course of the huge celestial body, and With a decisive motion, the meteor burst forth from the portal, hurtling down toward Infinity Island and obliterating a significant portion of its southern shoreline upon impact.
Despite never actively training his newfound powers, Micah's Astral Void Beholder bloodline had quietly absorbed starlight over the past year, steadily enhancing his abilities. What's more, as the assassins sent after him learned of his shadow and light powers and began devising countermeasures, he was forced to rely on the inherent strengths granted by his bloodline, gradually honing his skills in their usage.
Micah found the whole situation both amusing and exasperating. Despite his attempts to vanish from sight, the Secret Society relentlessly pursued him, intent on eliminating a possible threat and inadvertently pushing Micah to grow stronger and discover new ways to use all his powers, all while he simply yearned for solitude.
But none of that mattered now. With the situation reaching a critical juncture, Micah was determined to impart a lesson to the leaders of the Secret Society, Ras Al Ghul in particular, one that would leave a lasting impression.
As Micah continued to taunt his unseen adversary, his frustration grew palpable. With determination etched on his face, he extended both hands towards the unstable spatial rift, unleashing waves of tangible purple energy into the void. The rift quivered, its instability exacerbated as a barrage of meteorites materialized on the other side, hurtling towards the widening portal.
"Hide all you want, Ras. If you insist on skulking in the shadows, then you'll meet your fate along with this island!" Micah's voice carried with authority, his body pulsating with purple energy as the meteorites drew closer to the spatial tear.
But just as they approached, a sudden blue barrier enveloped the island, ensnaring Micah and the rift within its confines, disrupting his control over the space. The rift convulsed violently before vanishing altogether.
Before Micah could process the abrupt turn of events, a bolt of yellow lightning erupted from the volcanoes at the island's center, hurtling directly toward him.
Caught off guard, Micah reacted swiftly, conjuring five hard light barriers in succession.
The lightning bolt shattered the first barrier instantaneously, followed by the second, third, and fourth in rapid succession. Only the fifth barrier managed to momentarily stall the bolt's advance, but it too succumbed, allowing the lightning to surge past.
As the lightning dissipated, it coalesced into the form of a man clad in a tight gold and black suit adorned with a lightning bolt emblem at its center.
With a physique that emanated strength and power, the man before Micah possessed a commanding presence, his short black hair complementing his stern expression.
Micah barely had a moment to scrutinize his features before the man swung his fist, tendrils of golden lightning crackling around it. Micah met the attack head-on, his own fist pulsating with light magic as it collided with the man's.
Their fists clashed with a resounding thud, sending shockwaves rippling across the island and disturbing the tranquil ocean below.
After a brief exchange, Micah leaped back, taking a moment to size up his opponent. "King Teth-Adam of Kandhaq..." Micah acknowledged, offering a slight bow. "Forgive me if I've given offense, Your Majesty," he added, his tone deferential.
Black Adam, also known as Teth-Adam, regarded Micah with narrowed eyes. "Courtesy is admirable, but it won't save you today," he declared calmly, crossing his arms. "However, I'll entertain your words before delivering your demise," he conceded.
Though inwardly amused by the man's arrogance, Micah maintained his composure. "Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty. I'm curious about the terms the Secret Society offered in exchange for your allegiance," he inquired.
Black Adam scoffed at the question. "What concern is it of yours?" he retorted sharply.
"I doubt there's anything the Secret Society can offer that I can't also provide," Micah responded calmly. "Simply name your desire, and I'll have it fulfilled. That way, we can part ways without harming one another..." he proposed.
Black Adam cast a disdainful glance at Micah. "Do you truly believe you can harm me? You're nothing but prey ensnared in a trap," he declared, tendrils of golden lightning crackling around his formidable form.
"You lack the qualifications to negotiate with me," he continued, his hand outstretched towards Micah. "Today, your choice is simple: resist and meet your demise, or surrender and meet your demise all the same," he concluded, his tone dripping with certainty as he prepared to attack.
