Chapter 22: OutCast

9:00PM 'Sullen Woods:

Kaldur nodded and asked Arias which members he'd want on his team. Arias shook his head and adviced him to pick members he'd work best with the remaining members can be on his team, when Kaldur asked why Arias simply walked away and didn't answer.

Kaldur of course picked the members he knew longest for and worked with on multiple occasions. These where of course Robin, Kid Flash and Miss Martian leaving SuperBoy, Artemis and Zatanna on Arias's team.

As Miss Martians ship arrived at the drop point for team B Arias, Zatanna, Artemis and SuperBoy stood up then went towards the exit. Miss Martian tried setting up a mental link to everyone but something had gone wrong.

"ARGHHH!".

SuperBoy turned to her and shouted.

"Megan what's wrong!"

She slowly raised her head and shook it a bit before turning to Arias who explained.

"She tried to set up a mental link to me and my mental defenses took it as an attack. You might want to inform people before trying to enter their mental domain from now on".

Connor tried to defend Miss Martian but she apologized and Arias simply nodded.

"Just set up a link with the others and they'll relay anything important physically to me, my mental space is very very dangerous".

After doing so Miss Martian opened the ship to let the members of team B out.

Zatanna's eyes began to glow before she flew down first into he forest below but as Artemis came next she turned to ask if Miss Martian could bring the ship any lower.

"Opps hello Megan Artemis can't fly and the new member. But I'd need to find a clear place to land the trees here are too high".

As Miss Martian said this, SuperBoy also decided to speak.

"I could always carry you two on my shoulders as I jump down but the fall may be a little rough".

SuperBoy offered but Artemis was a little hesitant and Arias rebuked the very idea of it.

"We could always call Zata-".

Arias ignored the ideas being thrown around and lifted Artemis into his hands.

"Hey what's the big ide-".

Before Artemis could protest Arias flew out of the ship and headed towards Zatanna maneuvering quickly through the thick tall trees while SuperBoy just jumped and crossed his arms in front of his face.

Once on the ground he set Artemis down and soon after SuperBoy landed causing a small crater and shock wave to appear. Artemis only looked at Arias for a moment before walking towards Zatanna.

"Uh thanks."

Arias nodded and proceeded as well, followed by SuperBoy.

After walking for about 700 meters or so they arrived near a cave.

"That's the place".

Arias analyzed before gesturing the team to follow.

Inside the dimly lit eerie cave the team carefully followed the path.

"What's with cultists and creepy places I mean what's wrong with a nice cozy temple".

Zatanna voiced as she removed cob webs from her hair.

Soon they arrived near large metal door with a strange symbol on it but what really caught their attention was the two large alien like creatures that stood guard.

The group spoke in whispers about how to approach.

"We go in and kill every last one of those things before they open a portal".

SuperBoy was against the idea and Zatanna suggested they try to knock them out while Artemis had no input on the matter.

Arias rubbed his temples while sighing.

"Listen very carefully to me, if you've ever wondered how so many aliens coming to earth have lost their worlds there's your answer, if you let those things live they'll either escape and come back at another place on earth or end some other civilization. If you're still against the idea of saving your planet then you're free to stay here while I clear the place."

Artemis remained silent for a while before agreeing.

"If they are as dangerous as you say then I agree we should get in and out fast".

SuperBoy completely refused to kill aliens he didn't know anything about, he suggested maybe they defected or if they could contact miss Martian to form a link and communicate. Zatanna was on the fence about what choice to make but before she could voice her doubts Arias grew tired of how naive they where.

His grey eyes began to glow slightly before he flew towards the metal door. He then caught both creatures by the head before slamming them into it. They struggled in his arms and tried kicking and punching towards him.

*CRACK-POP*.

Blood burst into the air as the creatures heads were popped like balloons while blood ran down Arias's hands. SuperBoy grew wide eye, Zatanna looked at the scene with an odd face but didn't turn away while Artemis readied her arrows.

Arias took a deep breath before facing the door.

'It's best I stick to physical abilities, the less they know for now the better'.

Arias punched the metal doors with so much force that they flew into the interior. Behind the metal doors was a tower like structure with many ramps and on the sides of walls high up where cages with people in them.

At the bottom of the tower like structure grotesque looking humanoid bodies could be seen, some intact , other in pieces and some simply unrecognizable. These where the bodies and parts of the failed body altering experiments.

Once the rest of the team came in they where shocked by the horrific scene, all ages and gender could be seen among the recognizable grotesque bodies.

Arias's face remained unfazed he new what to expect after all. His eyes scanned for the one that ran the experiments as it had higher intellect than the rest of the creatures.

After spotting it he appeared next to it in the blink of an eye and sent his hand right through its chest instantly ending its life.

As the other creatures began to attack Arias took to the air and handled those there. Heads where removed, Hearts where crushed and bodies where sent flying. Arias made sure these creatures knew fear.

He tossed the last one that was in the air onto the ground before coming down with full force and turning its head into paste.

It didn't take long for the rest of the team to join in. Artemis would aim for the wings of those that wanted to take flight while SuperBoy beat them down but left them alive. It was one such creature that got up again and tried to attack SuperBoy and Artemis from behind where they left it.

Arias would fly by in time though and ended the creatures life before looking at SuperBoy and Artemis with cold eyes. Zatanna flew to the cages and rescued the humans that where alive.

Soon not a single creature was alive, arias turned to a small door before breaking it apart, it lead to a small room where a group of men and women in red/green attire hid.

'So they gathered people for Darkseid's cause huh'.

As Arias was about to end them Zatanna bound them with magical chains.

"I can handle them since they're human the league will want answers right?"

Arias gave her a quick glance as the glow in his eyes began to fade.

Soon the team gathered outside the cave with the rescued people and cultists while waiting for transportation.

"Uh hey..sorry for not paying attention back there it was a stupid mistake to make in battle, that thing almost took me and SuperBoy's life so um thanks".

Arias looked at Artemis with an expressionless face.

"Mistakes like that will get you killed without you even knowing why."

Artemis looked down to the ground while sighing.

"I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with, I'm just trying to find my place on the team so I thought going along with SuperBoys opinion could get me into everyone's good book...I don't just want to feel like the outcast y'know"

Only noticing now that she may have said too much she tried to speak and salvage the situation but Arias did so before she could.

"That's probably why you weren't focus and made a mistake, But I can understand what you mean, As long you make your mistakes when I'm around then I'll be there to fix them. That gives you one less thing to worry about now".

Saying nothing else Arias turned his gaze back to the sky.

'Outcast huh?'

Once the other team arrived on the scene Arias and the others started to walk towards the ship, Before reaching SuperBoy finally spoke to Arias.

"Listen I was wrong about the situation back there it's just I wish there was a peaceful solution to these things so no more lives have to be lost"

Arias stopped at looked back at SuperBoy.

"I get what you mean and had it been a race different race your approach may have worked, however, knowing these things came from...."

"Peace was never an option".