Titans of Justice / Darkest Hour #2 - “Bloodfest”
Written & edited by: Power Guy
Creative consulting provided by: Darth_Ennis & GreenLantern
Art by: Darth_Ennis
Maxi-Micros by: Power Guy


The Hall of Justice...

Four beings of great mystical power sat in a circle, combining their forces to try and bring the world-wide vampire assault to an abrupt ending.

“Tighten your eldritch release, Aqualass,” advised Sargona. “It’s a little too wild.”





“Got it,” affirmed the Atlantean sorceress.





Ibis The Invincible looked over at Sargona with a slight smile on his face, “The student has finally become the teacher, I see.”





“Oh please,” blushed the raven-haired beauty. “I’ve still got lots to learn from you.”

“You give yourself too little credit,” said the Stranger as the brow on his forehead tightened. “Our spell does not seem to be working. This makes no sense. Let me try a spell of enlightenment. Maybe if we know exactly what we’re dealing with, we can achieve some success.” With that, the Stranger enacted his incantation and before anyone in the room could blink, he was hit with a surge of feedback. “AAARRRRGHHHHHHH!!!” he screamed as he was propelled backwards in the wall behind him. “It seems I am still a bit rusty from my time away. I didn’t see that attack coming at all.”





“In all of my years, I have never seen anything like what is powering the army of the undead,” commented Ibis. “It was widely believed that they were empowered by Satan but this is clearly NOT satanic energy that is resisting us.”

“But what else could it be? It’s definitely dark and evil,” pointed out Sargona. “Who else could be supplying this type of energy besides Neron himself?”

***

Transylvania...

Power Lad and Wonder Girl are knee-deep within the army of vampires attacking the town square, each of the two heroes holding their own against the blood-sucking horde.

“Yo, Wonder-buns,” called out Power Lad, “Watch me bust these two vampires heads together!”





“I’m busy!” spat the girl known as Druscilla Prince as she punched a vampire in the stomach and then another in the nose.





“Aww.....are you still playing hard to get?” teased the obnoxious teen hero. “I just started growing chest-hair. Wanna see?”

“Sure, but can you wait until I can go get some duck-tape so I can rip it out in one pull?” replied Wonder Girl sarcastically.

“So you like to inflict pain with pleasure, huh?” Power Lad continued, refusing to give up. “What do you say we.....” but then the young sidekick of Power Guy froze dead in his tracks at the sight of his mentor floating a few yards in front of him. “Power Guy! Oh no!!!”





“THIS is not good,” chirped Wonder Girl, eyes wide open. At first, the young Amazon was scared but quickly turned her fear into aggression and flew directly towards Power Guy, intent on using every skill the Titans of Justice had taught her. At first, she punched him in the windpipe and then in the groin, neither blow had any effect on the man of might.

“Foolish child! My servant no longer feels any pain unless it is inflicted by sunlight or silver, neither of which you will find in this village any time soon,” revealed Dracula in his dry, raspy voice.





Power Guy then grabbed Wonder Girl by the throat, intent on biting her.

That was the spark that got Power Lad’s heart and head racing. “Get your stinkin’ hands off of her!!!” yelled out the belligerent teen hero as he fired his laser-contact leneses(which simulated heat-vision) at his mentor. His lenses were powered by solar-radiation and it was just enough to cause Power Guy enough pain to make him release his captive. Power Lad quickly grabbed Wonder Girl and pulled her along, trying to get her to somewhere safe. “Come on Wonder-chica! Let’s get you out of here.”

<cough.................cough.......cough> “I c....c....can barely breath,” replied the raven-haired teen as she clutched her throat with one hand.

“Don’t worry, I’ll carry you,” offered Power Lad as he lifted his bride to be in his arms and carried her away.

Within seconds, Power Guy was in hot pursuit, hell-bent on re-capturing Wonder Girl.

“He......he’s gaining on us!” exclaimed Wonder Girl, nervous as can be.

“Not for much longer!” countered Olympia as she flew past the teen heroes and slammed into Power Guy.





BAM!!!!!

It was like two meteors colliding. The shockwave from their impact shook the buildings below and broke several windows.

Without hesitation, Olympia continued the fight. She threw her magic-lasso around Power Guy and bound him tightly and then began swinging him around. “You might be stronger than I am but you don’t have anywhere near the amount of training I do, being an Amazon!” She continued swinging him in a circle for a few seconds and then released him only for him to be struck by two missiles from the Bat-wing, courtesy of Knightvision. The leader of the Titans of Justice was knocked out of the sky, sent crashing into the earth. A few minutes later as Power Guy began to pick himself up, Bat-Girl arrived on the scene. “Up so soon? Well, that’s no problem. I brought a little gift for you,” she said, smiling ear to ear. She then pulled something out of her utility-belt and held it in front of Power Guy and asked, “Recognize this? It’s Batman’s Kryptonite-ring. Knightvision was carrying it in his utility-belt just for an occasion like this. Now drop to your knees and start whimpering like a baby!”





But as smugly as the girl known as Betty Kane-Parker was, it was all in vain as Power Guy smacked the ring from her hand and then pulled her towards him.

“WHAT?!?!?!” screamed Bat-Girl in total confusion. “Why didn’t it work?”

Dracula then spoke again, “Fool! He no longer feels pain since his transformation! Your green rocks are insignificant to him now!”

Power Guy then sunk his fangs into Bat-Girl’s neck and turned her into one of the living dead.

“d**n it, Betty,” Knightvision cursed as he viewed Bat-Girl’s transformation. He then switched on his radio, “Donna, Ahli, and Druscilla.....this mission is going very poorly. The town along with Power Guy and Bat-Girl have been compromised. Let’s head out and figure out an alternate plan.”





***

Fawcett City...

“I HATE fighting vampires,” growled Black Adam as he slammed into a half-dozen of the undead scattering them across the city. “I haven’t fought their kind for over two hundred years and it wouldn’t be too soon if I never fought them again!”





“They are quite vile and disgusting creatures,” added Isis as summoned a small tornado to disperse another medium-size group of vampires. “I just hope Nucleus and Elongated Lad can find the antidote in time so we can change all of these poor people back to normal.”





Bulletboy then zoomed past the Khandaqian super-couple at the speed of sound and battle-rammed four vampires who were about to devour a small girl. “Ha! These freaks can’t touch me with my silver skin!”





“Just get the girl to safety - you can brag later,” directed Spy Smasher as he climbed down the latter of his Gyrosub and joined in the fight. It took all of his quick wits and fighting prowess to hold his own against the unearthly-powered blood-suckers. Still, he wouldn’t let up until the last vampire was down and out.





Half a block away, Stellar, Sherry Girl of Two Thousand Gimmicks, and Teen Marvel were locked in battle. Stellar was struggling with being powerless from having his Cosmic Converter Belt taken by the Mocker.

“This sucks without my belt,” grumbled the star-spangled teen.





“You still have your combat skills,” reminded Sherry. “And if you’d like, I can let you borrow my bubble-gum splatter web device?”





“Uhh.....thanks babe but my fists will do for now,” declined Stellar as he cold-clocked one of the fang-bearing monsters.

“Don’t worry buddy, I’ve got your back if you need it,” offered Teen Marvel as he used the strength of Atlas to lift up a large section of the pavement and then wrapped it around a dozen vampires, immobilizing them. “See how easy it is for me to take them down? Why don’t you two chill out. I won’t let them hurt you.”





As good-hearted as Teen Marvel’s intentions were, it’s like he had tempted fate as a hungry vampire swooped down and landed on his back. Before the young wielder of the power of Shazam could react, the blood-thirsty creature sunk his fangs into Teen Marvel’s neck.

“Marvel! No!!!” screamed Stellar as he watched his cousin transform into one of the undead.

“Sweet sarsaparilla!” cried out Sherry as she began to tremble slightly while witnessing the horrific transformation take place.

Teen Marvel had become one of the vampiric hordes he was just fighting against. He gazed upon Stellar and Sherry, “Don’t be scared. I’m not going to hurt you........much!” he said as he flew towards them and snatched them up by their capes, taking them skyward. “Now which one of you wants to be first?”

“Don’t bite us! We won’t be able to find a way to turn you back if you do!” said Sherry, pointing out the obvious. “We only want to help you!”

“And I only want to help you!” replied Teen Marvel viciously as he opened his mouth wide, intent on biting Sherry’s neck until Black Adam flew up to him and yanked Stellar and Sherry from his grip. Bulletboy joined in the fray and began punching Teen Marvel left and right, trying to distract him long enough for Black Adam to get Stellar and Sherry back down to the ground.

“Stand down if you know what’s good for you!” advised Bulletboy continuing to trade blows with his former ally.

Diamond Jack then came upon the scene. “Sorry I’m late everyone, my ring has been acting strange for the last few hours. Still, that’s not your primary concern right now, is it?” he said as he pointed his ring at Teen Marvel and made a pair of black handcuffs appear around his wrists.





Teen Marvel smashed through them like they were made of paper.

“What the heck? Those cuffs should have been able to hold Black Adam......at least for a little while.”

Teen Marvel flew downward at his latest attacker. He quickly grabbed Diamond Jack by the throat and demanded, “Give me your ring!!!”

“Release him!” commanded Isis. Teen Marvel ignored the heroine of hope and healing and started shaking Diamond Jack violently. Isis instantly responded by making the earth beneath him rise up, lifting him off the ground, and forcing him to release the bearer of the black magic ring.

Teen Marvel was now quite angry after being so close to getting Diamond Jack’s ring, “Harlot! You will suffer a slow death for that!” he said right before he flew downward, punched Isis, and knocked her off of her feet. But before he could attack the queen of Khandaq any further, Black Adam grabbed both of his arms and initiated a struggle. Thinking quickly, Teen Marvel shouted “Shazam!” and turned both he and Black Adam into their mortal forms with the same bolt of lightning. This was a move that Black Adam was not suspecting and therefore, it gave Teen Marvel the chance to punch Teth Adam in the throat, silencing him temporarily and inhibiting his breathing. Teen Marvel walked a few feet away and then shouted his magic-word again and re-powered up. He then ripped the wall off of the building next to him and raised it over his head, ready to bring it down on Isis. “I don’t want your blood - I just want you DEAD!” he said ready to make good on his desire.

Realizing it was now or never, Bulletboy shot a stream of his silver bullets at Teen Marvel’s chest. The shells ripped through the son of Mary Marvel’s chest and ended his undead existence. His limp body fell to the ground.

Isis sat quiet in shock while the rest of the heroes grouped around their fallen friend.

“Bulletboy, what have you done?” demanded Stellar, shaking moderately. Sherry grabbed onto him and held him tight, trying to offer her support.

“I’m......I’m....sorry. It was the only way to stop him from killing Isis,” defended the man of metal “Everyone else who could have done something was busy or injured. I....I....didn’t know what else to do.”

“You did what any true warrior would have done,” offered Black Adam, a bit coldly. “Are you ok, my beloved?” he asked Isis as he helped her up.

“Yes and no,” replied the queen of Khandaq, sad about Teen Marvel’s passing.

“Does anyone know why he was so enticed by my ring?” asked Diamond Jack.

The crowd was silent for a moment until Sherry spoke up. “Well, it went with his whole gothic look.”

Everyone just turned towards Sherry giving her a look of disappointment for saying something so inappropriate at the moment. The young girl had the best of intentions but always the worst timing when opening her mouth.

“We will give Teen Marvel a proper burial later. There are more vampires to fight!” reminded Black Adam as the Squadron of Justice raced back into action.


TO BE CONTINUED!


Epilogue


Fawcett City...

Stellar had fallen a bit behind the rest of his teammate as his cape had gotten snagged on a sharp piece of debris. “Darn it! The more I try to pull my cape free, the more it tears,” sighed the star-spangled hero.

“Let me help you with that,” came a mysterious voice from behind the son of Captain Marvel and Stargirl. Then a beam shot forth from the man’s hand, cutting Stellar’s cape free from the debris.

“Thanks but what are you doing here?” asked Fawcett City’s premier teen hero. “The last time I saw you, you were...” began Stellar until he and the mystery man were enveloped in a bright light and then they both disappeared.


TO BE CONTINUED!!!