John blinked. "Did not see that coming. Most would curse at me, or spit at me or hurl at me or just generally be disgusted to work with me… I can work with that. "
She returned to her throne. "Lex. You've managed to gather pieces. I will mould them into an army."
"We're missing a few," Lex admitted.
"Forget them."
Blackfire drifted down until she was eye-level with Batman. "This planet will not fall," she said, quiet but absolute. "Whether you stand with me or not, the battle has begun."
Batman's jaw flexed. "Then tell us what you need."
The light dimmed to a soft halo around her. Monitors blinked back on, showing maps of the world and the faint tracery of Raven's influence spreading like veins of darkness. The flickering glow painted everyone in alternating silver and shadow.
Lex studied the screens. "So it's true—her reach has already crossed seas and continents. I can understand knowing her territories on land, but in the sea? How did you—"
"This… And don't ask, it was a gift." Batman said as he revealed his Trident to Lex.
"I can control the storms and lightning with this and even feel a connection to them all over the world, that is…" Batman continued but paused, letting Lex, another genius, put the pieces together for himself.
"—Except for areas where you can't feel any connection whatsoever, eh? I see. That's a bit troubling." Lex concurred as Batman nodded. It was nice working with another person with a high IQ.
Ra's al Ghul folded his arms. "You expect us to fight an immortal parasite with enthusiasm alone?"
"I expect you to listen," Blackfire said. "You call her immortal, but she is wounded. Her essence is scattered. That makes her vulnerable—for now."
Constantine blew a lazy smoke ring. "And when she pulls herself together again, what then? You planning to overpower a goddess like her?"
Her eyes flashed white. "I don't blame you for asking such primitive questions, as you are still a mortal. One of Raven's harlots is here, and in hiding, if I didn't have power equal to or more than that grey bitch, she would have come to me already. She only awaits her inevitable end in Jump City, none can hide from me. I will end Raven."
The statement struck the room like thunder. Lex's analytical gaze sharpened; Damien's fingers drummed once against his belt; even Batman's mask couldn't hide the slight tightening around his eyes.
'That's not… tch.' Damien thought to himself as he sighed quietly to himself.
"You'll need coordination," Damien said evenly. "Half the people here don't trust the other half."
"I have no time for such frivolities, if any of you get in my way…." Blackfire replied as her form shifted to a dark alternate outfit she wore.
'And she's supposed to be our saviour?' Damien shot a quick glance at Batman, who only returned it with a stoic gaze. They were going to work with what they had.
"Fear will suffice until respect grows."
Talia's lips quirked. "Spoken like someone who's met my father."
Ra's regarded her with mild amusement. "She may yet prove a better strategist."
Terra, who had stayed close to Garfield, whispered, "Does anyone in this room not have daddy issues?"
Garfield muttered back, "Lex, maybe? Actually, no, scratch that."
Their banter broke some of the tension as Blackfire shifted her form back; even Batman's scowl eased by a fraction.
'I may not like this, but this is our chance at returning things to normalcy.' Batman thought
Blackfire gestured, and a sphere of white light blossomed in her palm. It expanded into a map of the solar system. Dozens of points pulsed red across Earth's orbit and surface.
"These are Raven's anchors," she explained. "Portals, temples, fragments of her influence. Each must be destroyed or purified. Fail, and the network will rebuild her faster than any army can fight."
Lex stepped closer, examining the projection. "Then we divide them."
"Correct," she said. "Your technology, Luthor, will track the energy signatures. No, I can do that and more. Why don't we pay a visit to one of Raven's strongholds first, we hit there, cover that and strike other hotspots before Jumpcity. I know that is where everything will come down."
Constantine flicked ash toward the floor. "And me?"
Blackfire answered. "Your soul may be a ruin, but it's a ruin full of wards."
That earned a crooked grin. "Flattery'll get you everywhere, love."
"Not with me." The edge in her voice shut him down faster than a spell could.
For the next hour, the Batcave became a command center. Holographic projections bloomed above tables; maps unfolded; old rivalries hissed and cooled under the glare of necessity. Lex dictated coordinates by plugging in a flash drive from his jacket into the computer.
But before that could even happen, he and Batman had a few exchanges about system security until Batman brought a laptop he could plug in, and the coordinates for Themyscira were shown as Batman shook his head and crammed the coordinates just in case.
Damien relayed field strategies, and Blackfire stood at the centre, her presence a constant reminder that the impossible was already happening.
'I could just tell them, I already know the location, but watching them scramble is fun still.' Blackfire smiled on her throne above as she twirled her hair.
Garfield stole glances at her when he thought no one noticed. The light around her wasn't just brightness—it was alive, pulsing with intent. Terra noticed his distraction and nudged him, whispering, "Careful. She's way out of your league."
He grinned sheepishly. "I was just admiring the—uh—radiance."
"Sure you were." Terra teased, hugging her man possessively.
Suddenly, a meeting and a small vote about who was been designated for the liberation of Themyscira from Raven's rule began, but Damien looked at Blackfire as she read his thoughts and both of them disappeared from the cave without anyone's notice.
They reappeared near the sound of a waterfall thundering down. They were near shore, but behind them was a jungle of sorts that looked more like a garden than anything. No one would believe this location actually existed on earth unless they had seen it for themselves, given how captivating the scenery was.
Blackfire remained on her throne, studying the distant shimmer of water. Damien approached quietly.
"You handled them well," he said with such familiarity. They had crossed each other as enemies before, but now, it sounded like they were closer.
"I ruled before you were born… if you count light years." she replied without turning. "Handling is easy. Trust is harder. I'd rather handle this group to defeat Raven."
"So, Raven… she took my sister, huh?" Blackfire said as she continued to play with her hair lazily.
Damien remained stoic.
"I have heard of many things about this Raven across many galaxies when I was on the run. Never would have thought that she actually had a cock… that she used on my sister!!!!" Blackfire said as she flung her arm in the air in annoyance, causing the air to quake.
"Tell me… did she actually… Does she actually have a cock?" Blackfire asked with annoyance in her eyes and a tinge of lust.
"Yes, she does. Not that I have seen it in person." Damien answered.
"Describe it to me. Tch… no, not you. Him!" Blackfire demanded as Damien looked up at her in confusion, but Blackfire soon opened up a portal as Nightwing fell out.
"Blackfire? I thought I was keeping a low pro… Dam—Robin?" Nightwing asked, observing his surroundings and arming himself with the weapons behind him.
"Cease that useless action. She is our shot against Raven." Damien said, boringly, as he walked over to the nearest tree and leaned against it.
"Good to see you too, Robin." Nightwing answered dryly, as usual when dealing with the spawn of Batman.
"This feeling… you've become something different… Are you really Blackfire?" Nightwing asked.
"In the flesh." Blackfire teased as she crossed her legs purposely in front of him, her thighs were such a sight to see in her mini skirt.
"Now, I left my sister in your hands, thinking that by now you'd have gotten her pregnant to challenge my authority back on Tamara, only to hear that she was taken from you? How? That must hurt, huh?" Blackfire teased once again, making Nightwing look the other way.
Ever been that single friend in that friend group that gets laid often and you always want to hear about their escapades? Maybe Blackfire is one of them😫.
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