Chapter 10 - Dracula Vs. Phoenix

Gotham. St. Sellas Graveyard.

The first rays of light were arriving as she arrived. Stepping out of her vehicle she opened the trunk and pulled out the Nth metal staff she got from Mylo. Then she walked toward the Mausoleums.

Last night while she waited she looked over the researchers notes. They knew what they were tracking down but did not inform their superiors. Apparently a person by the name of Andrew told them about this and hinted at the power obtainable by signing a pact with Dracula.

Something that Scarlett would have to look into later. Because it frankly sounded like a set up. Mythical and supernatural creatures are known about, but they usually keep to their own circles. For something like this to happen, someone is probably stirring circles in the supernatural underworld.

Which is why she hoped Batman found a cure. Because if there's a cure, then there will be a vaccination. From there it would just be a hop-skip-and a jump to killing off vampires completely.

One of our objectives would be completed before Talia's group was even formed. A fortunate 'accident' by her count.

Scarlett eventually arrived in front of the Mausoleum of Alucard Sepet the Serpent. This is the location of Dracula's burial site. She glanced at the door and saw that the stone door was already ajar.

Moving inside she found an upturned stone coffin and a staircase descending beneath the ground. She started walking down the staircase. According to the research these tunnels dated from the early 18th century, the further down she went the more Gothic the tunnel's appearance became. Eventually she stopped at an open area.

In front of here was a stone and metal door which acted as an entrance. The etchings on the door were clear warnings detailing the horrors that the imprisoned being had committed. Pushing the door open further she entered what looked like an underground cathedral. Along the wall were carvings of a story, she would have to study it later but it was clear enough. The carvings were the story of Dracula Tepes, a conqueror. One that was eventually betrayed and sealed away.

In the center of a room was a metal and stone coffin, but it had been unsealed. Standing beside it was the same man in a red cloak from before. Except this time she could see him more clearly.

He stood in a red flowing cloak and clothes that would fit someone coming from royalty. But from the early 18th century. He looked pompous with his black hair slicked back, which melded well with his paper white skin. As he stared at Scarlett with his eyes that had glowing red irises, he moved a hand to a scimitar he had hanging at his waist.

"The Phoenix I encountered. I am surprised. You would have the gall to come after me but only after you killed my subordinates? I remember your species preferred to wage all out war instead of playing it underhandedly like the humans." Dracula's voice was less grating and harsh sounding. It sounded like a proper Englishman from the 18th century, but it did appear he was adapting his speech patterns. Slowly, but he was still doing it.

Scarlett shook her head, "sorry to disappoint. But I haven't seen a single one of your thrall vampires all night. Although, if you can't sense them then I suppose that 'man' really is quite formidable when it comes to medicine." Scarlett twirled her staff in one hand and tapped it on the ground.

"Hmmm… your species is known to not lie in the face of a battle. Very well, then in accordance with the ancient rites of the supernatural war pact. I, Dracula Vlad Tepes, hereby declare a duel to the death. If I am to win I will win safe passage out of this city. If you are to win… I will give you my knowledge of the blade." Dracula's declaration was followed by the appearance of a scale. On one side appeared a bright red flame and on the other side was a writing in blood red.

"I, Scarlett Fenix, the last and final Phoenix agree to the conditions and rewards." Scarlett's confirmation caused the scale to float above their heads and then the walls became tinged in a mix of blood magic and Scarlett's magic, creating their battle grounds for the fight that would follow. As it happened Scarlett pulled a mask down and put it on her face just as she could feel several sets of gazes arrive on her, the various supernatural watchers who could and would watch and were interested in fights to the death.

Dracula instead was surprised by Scarlett's words. Because he remembered there was at least an entire tribe left of phoenixes when he died.

A moment later a black shade appeared between them, "ready!" The shades' voice reverberated around the room. "Set!" Dracula drew his scimitar and Scarlett got into a stance with her staff. "Fight!"

Dracula leaped forward and as a shadowy mass but was stopped as Scarlett launched her staff forward with enough force to pierce his chest. Dracula dodged to the side but as he did Scarlett channeled her magic through the staff. Gold and red colored lightning bounces along it and part of it bounces off and hits Dracula. Sending him flying into a wall.

Dracula has smoke coming off him but he doesn't waste the moment as he throws some hidden blades but Scarlett blocks it with one of her wings. Dracula uses the moment of blindness on Scarlett's part to leap to the roof and come down with a downward slashing attack.

Scarlett dodges backwards and uses her staff to redirect the attack and then attack with the butt of the staff. Landing a solid hit on Dracula's face that causes him to burn and scream in pain.

Dracula dodged backward as another hit was directed at him. But he felt his movements were getting slower so he narrowed his eyes in suspicion and it took him only a moment to realize what had happened. Scarlett had discreetly spread her magic to all corners of the room. Which caused his own internal magic that was supporting his body to weaken greatly.

Dracula showed a toothy grin, fangs and all. Leaping forward while letting out a screech he swung his sword and was blocked by Scarlett who countered again. But this time as Dracula was jumping back to retreat she grabbed his cloak and pulled it. Causing him to lose balance just as Scarlett stuck her staff through his chest.

More specifically, through his heart. Dracula cackled loudly, "this is what I get for fighting a Phoenix." Scarlett's smile was hidden under her mask. Dracula's body started to crackle with red and yellow lightning and then it started to glow. Finally it popped into a puff of ash that started to disintegrate.

His clothes fell to the floor in shreds but his Scimitar pinged on the ground, intact. The barrer slowly withdrew while the scale moved with the flame lowering. Then a small red and blue wisp flew from the other side of the scale and flew into Scarlett's head. While the scales faded and the various watchers' gazes dispersed as there was no longer a fight to watch.

Scarlett stood still for a moment as her eyes were glazed over. Then it passed and Scarlett sighed as she removed her mask. Then she bent over and picked up Dracula's Scimitar. She knows its name now, it is called Umbre. It is made of a material that absorbs shadows.

"Are you going to hide there all day?" Scarlett openly asked.

Then a moment later, Batman stepped out of the shadow of the doorway. Walking forward he looked around the room, "Where did Dracula go? This should have been his hideout."

"Dead, I just killed him. You managed to cure all of the people who were turned into vampires. He said you had the mentality to work quickly when put under the proper pressure." Scarlett answered as she made her way to the door.

Batman grunted, "who?"

"To be fair I said you were absolutely nuts." Scarlett continued to walk out and then proceed up the stairs. Batman frowned and then followed her.

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Five Years Ago. Island in the Pacific Ocean. Secret League Base.

"So… we died and then we came back to life?" Scarlett was in a white robe sitting on the couch. Mylo was sitting nearby, he was looking over his body in curiosity.

"Yes, after you two died the fumes from the lazarus pit and I believe some source of magic awakened your latent meta genetics." Ra's Al Ghul was looking or rather frowning at some green and blue goo he had found in the room, "but it appears this stuff that helped create you is killing itself off. I won't have enough time to store a sample. As to what you are individually… I don't know."

Ra's then stood up and left the room mumbling about something. Talia on the other hand frowned and stayed.

Mylo chuckled once he was gone, "Okay let's try some truth this time. Tell us what you know, Talia." Scarlett tilted her head in confusion but Mylo explained, "Ra's was lying when he said he did not know what we were, he had all the telltale signs of it."

Talia shook her head, "he must be really thrown off by this if he let that slip." Talia then stood up and closed the door. "For starters, I only know so much from ancient texts. For starters, Scarlett is something called a Phoenix while Mylo should just be a meta with immortality. Probably super regeneration."

"Hmm… I assume that means Scarlett has more than one ability?" Mylo asked.

"Yes, from what I remember the Phoenix was an unkillable being that was a bloodthirsty warrior and an extremely powerful healer. Apparently they were wiped out when the various pantheons decided they were a threat to gods. So those that were left that had not already chosen to die a natural death had their powers stolen and their immortality exploited by these gods for their own purposes." Talia gave a long winded explanation.

Scarlett frowned, "so the entire species was killed off because of various gods' greed?" Scarlett glanced at Mylo who was rubbing his temples. "Hey Mylo, I feel like I should get revenge. What do you think?"

"I think… that Ra's is thinking of ways to exploit us and we have a limited time frame until we are out of danger." Mylo answered. "But yeah, just let me just… research magic."

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Now. Gotham City. St. Sellas Graveyard.

Scarlett was walking to the vehicle she arrived here in. She opened the trunk of the humvee and tossed both the staff and the sword inside.

"How did you get Nth metal?" Batman asked from the side.

Scarlett smiled, "I assume the same way you did. It was a pleasure Batman. Hopefully you won't see us again for a while and if you are really that interested in us-" Scarlett climbed in the driver seat and rolled down the passenger window. "Then I suggest you find some reading material at the right section. I always go to S-00." Scarlett then drove away.

Once she was far enough she pulled out her phone and dialed a number, "hey, I had to use the Nth metal how long until they make their appearance?" She waited a moment then nodded, "understood. Also we can advance our vampire extermination plan. Wayne should have made the serum. I will put in a program to steal it." Scarlett then hung up after a moment.

Then she dialed another number, "Charlie, did we retrieve the researchers?" Scarlett nodded, "good, in that case when they are out of sight put a bullet in their head and incinerate their corpses. Make sure the names of the other infected are erased and the police report is buried. Call off the quarantine as well. Don't worry, I will call and let our superiors know about the researcher's deaths." She then hung up and sighed, "the things I do to stop mankind's madness."

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Themyscira.

Hippolyta jolted on her throne like she was suddenly awakened. Her guards glanced at her but she quickly waved them off and stood up. Walking out of the throne room she made her way to her study, "have someone bring Diana's hawk, Icarus, to my study. I have to send a message to Diana."

Once Hippolyta arrived at the study she started drafting a note. Once she finished writing the bird had arrived. Then she attached a messenger case to the bird's back and put the message she just finished writing inside. 

She brought the bird's head to her mouth, "find Diana. Bring this message to her, I need to speak to her." She then released the bird and it flew out the window.

"My Queen, what is so dangerous you would send a messenger bird?" A guard asked. Messenger birds were rarely used since they have almost no contact with the outside world; the only people they ever contact are roaming warriors like Diana and the other Amazonian tribes.

"Because Dracula was killed by a Phoenix, she needs to know what they did here." Hippolyta answered. "What the Phoenix and Demigod stole and how dangerous they really are."

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Gotham City. Batcave.

Batman sat at the computer typing. Alfred came in with a plate just as a video call popped up. It was Martian Manhunter on one screen and Superman on the other screen.

"What's wrong?" Batman asked.

"Jason Blood called, there was a magical disturbance in London. When he and Constantine investigated they met a man and he shot Constantine. Apparently he knew them by their faces. When Blood sent a picture it was deleted from both the computer and his phone." Superman explained.

"Something similar happened here, Supergirl completely recovered. When she tried to look up a name on the Watchtower computer it showed no results. Is something wrong with the systems you set up?" Martian Manhunter asked.

"Hmm… yes it appears I was right about Cadmus. I learned they have some operatives that not only know our names but can avoid detection. I have been trying to locate the code left in the Batcomputer but for now we will have go paper files to find out about these Cadmus people." Batman explained with a grunt of annoyance.

"Huh? Well that is something. So what next? Where are we getting the information?" Superman asked.

"You don't want to know. Martian, were you calling about something else?" Batman responded.

"Ah…yes. Actually…"

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London. Under Big Ben.

It's moving. She could feel it. She thought the thing steeped in chaos magic was an item but it was moving erratically. It was a person, but if it was a person why were they leaking magic.

It was like they were setting bait for a trap. A trap to draw in nearby supernaturals and magi-metas. A way to dispose of distractions beforehand? Maybe. But it was clear they had gathered an abundance of chaos magic for something.

She smiled in delight, perhaps she could harness some of that magic for her own purposes. But she will have to get… intimate with the source.

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World News.

"We bring you a news broadcast about the U.N. Military base in Kahndaq has been forced to evacuate as the renewal period for Kahndaq's membership in the U.N. has expired and will not be renewed." A male reporter stated. 

"Supposedly the Kahndaq government which was set to renew membership decided to instead opt to hire a well known mercenary and criminal group, Intergang." The female newscaster shared.

"Many sources have been investigating the suspected connection between Kahndaq and Intergang for over a year. Is it possible that Intergang is looking to expand on a global level? Or is Kahndaq looking to establish itself as a world power? Because with a group like Intergang going military wide, they certainly could."