Chapter 14: Captain Atom.

More advance chapters on P@treon.com/Saintbarbido.

-General P.O.V-

The station shook as an explosion of yellow energy tore through the building, sending debris flying.

Michael rose from the wreckage of the cell, his fists crackling with the power of fear.

The metahuman collar shackling his neck melted away into red hot liquid, dripped down his blazing yellow costume.

On a yellow platform constructed from Fear, attached to the Ring on his finger, Jimmy gulped in awe,

"Boss, you look incredible."

Spreading his hands out into the open air, Michael chuckled.

"Look? I feel incredible Jimmy. You can say...I'm at full capacity."

Seen only by him was a yellow screen in front of his face.

(Ring charge: 100%)

He was no longer the Spirit of Vengeance, but a Lantern of Fear.

Outside, police officers scrambled to contain the situation.

"Michael Anders! Surrender immediately or be forced to."

Gordon yelled over a megaphone, surrounded by a swat team with weapons aimed at the two of them from the ground.

Michael floated forward, and with a simple thought, he conjured chains of yellow energy—chains reminiscent of the Ghost Rider's, but now powered by the raw might of fear.

Using the ring was different from being the Rider. The latter was instinct, while the former was intuition and will.

He thought of his desire and the ring did his bidding. It was easy, he just had to focus on the cloud of fear hanging over everyone present.

The chains pulsed before lashing out and tearing through the opposition with ease, sending cars and officers flying.

ThMPH!

The crowd of protesters outside the station scattered in terror, their screams filling the air.

(Ring Charge: 98%)

Michael felt their fear cycle back and feed into his power, his ring's capacity rising back to 100%.

"Hahaha, I gotta say, this feels right, Jimmy!"

He relished the feeling, the raw energy coursing through him like a drug.

Before he could revel in this newfound strength for too long, a flash of light erupted from above, and Captain Atom landed on the debris filled yard, standing amidst the remains of the GCPD and burning vehicles.

His expression was grim as he surveyed the devasted scene. He'd been given the mission to oversee Michael's arrest and ensure the prisoner wouldn't escape before he was put in a cell.

To think, only seconds after Atom had left, Michael would escape custody and cause all this mess. And even more unexpected, he'd turned into a Yellow Lantern.

They'd been right to be extra-cautious with him. Atom would end this before it got out of hand.

"Mr. Anders," Captain Atom said, his voice steady but firm. "Despite the situation, I sense that no one has died yet. I must urge you to stand down and hand over the Fear Ring. You can't win this, Sir."

Michael clenched his fists, his eyes burning with yellow light."Stay out of my way or be crushed, Hero."

The two had a tense standoff, the seconds ticking away.

Midnight was fast approaching, and Michael knew he didn't have much time. He had to get to Batman. He had to stop the exorcism.

"I can't do that."

Atom refused.

Yellow chains burst out of the ground, and wound around his metal body, holding him in place.

Without another word, Michael shot into the air, his yellow energy propelling him forward with Jimmy inside a protective sphere.

Captain Atom charged up his body, forcefully shattering the chains before following in relentless pursuit.

The smoking GCPD was left behind them.

As Michael's figure cut across the Gotham sky, Jimmy yelled at him.

"Boss! He's still coming!"

Michael looked back, hastily putting up a series of road barricade constructs to block Atom, but the hero tore through them without losing momentum.

"This bastard! I don't have time for this!"

Michael's ring blazed, creating a weapon based on his imagination.

However, the Anti-Matter canon forming on his shoulder broke down before it could take full shape.

Flying upwards, Michael dodged the Captain's rush.

"Ring what the hell was that?!"

(Construct creation relies on the User's knowledge of the specific Design or Intimate Familiarity)

Shit. That limited his options to things he actually understood. Good to know, like a few fucking minutes ago!

Which meant Michael was stuck trying to out-manuever Captain Atom in an air battle. Not a very smart idea.

"I was in the airforce, Mr. Anders. You're in my territory!"

Atom's voice reached him as he weaved around dozens of Chain constructs.

'Shit! What to do...'

Michael racked his head...before an idea came to it. The Ghost Riders Fire!

Once more, the shape of an Anti-Matter canon took form, but this time, the barrel glowed with an energy that Michael knew intimately.

"Have a taste of my Flames of judgement Captain."

Michael pulled the trigger, launching out a concentrated beam of super hot hellfire.

The clouds were ripped apart and Atom swallowed by the attack.

"Boss! That's Captain Atom, he can absorb any energy!"

Jimmy's voice cut in after the roaring energy died down.

"Not HellFire Jimmy-boy."

Michael dismissed his concerns along with the Construct, ready to take off towards-

Whoosh!

A sudden burst of air pushed against Michael, the Environmental shield around his body flickering on to shield him.

"Impossible."

Michael muttered, staring at Atom who held in his hands, a writhing ball of dark blue energy.

The Hellfire had been contained.

"This energy is...quite strange. I couldn't absorb it but I can manipulate it enough to...send back to owner."

Captain Atom breathed, releasing the attack straight at Michael.

"Shit."

Michael muttered before his world was taken over by white.

Breathing heavily and body smoking, Captain Atom tapped on his comms.

"Atom to Batcave, I've recaptured Anders before he could get to you. What's your situation?"

"Good Job Captain. We are currently in the middle of preparations. Midnight is only 15 minutes away. Keep him contained for at least that long."

Zatara informed him.

"That's doable."

Came his reply.

Another voice jumped in, sounding strained,

"Atom this is Batman, do you need back up?"

"No I'm good. You exorcise the Rider and I'll handle Anders. Oh, and Bruce, are you okay? You sound-"

The comms cut off with sudden static.

"Batman? Do you copy- huh?"

Captain Atom, changed gears- distracted by something happening to his front.

Light flickered within the smoke surrounding Michael's last position.

Atom couldn't believe his eyes.

"Hey, W-we are not done here."

Michael bit out from inside a diamond shaped barrier. His yellow lantern suit was repairing itself.

(Michael's P.O.V)

Ring charge was at 42%.

Blocking my own attack had dropped it by more than half. And I couldn't hope to recharge it in midair. Not without a source of fear or a Lantern.

I fucked up again, by underestimating my opponent. But this will be the last time.

"Boss...that was way too close for comfort."

Behind me, Jimmy said in a scared tone.

My ring fed on that little bit of fear and ticked up to 45%, still not enough to construct something useful.

"I don't know how you blocked that, but this ends. Now. I won't let you hurt anyone else. Not after J'onn."

Atom's disbelief, morphed into anger and the amount of power he was putting out, practically doubled. It was like facing a power plant.

"J'onn found purpose with me, Captain. And trust me...not only will I get the Rider back, I'll be coming for the Martian too."

I swore to myself.

"Over my dead body."

From his hands, a wave of energy burst out, aimed my way.

I reinforced my Diamond Shields, creating copies to replace the ones that shattered.

"Aaargh!"

Roaring, his punch destroyed every single one, but I was already flying backwards.

(Ring Charge: 39%)

'Should I recite the Yellow Lantern oath? Maybe that will give me access to the Ring's Inventory space where I'm sure I'll find the Lantern. But I don't want Sinestro gaining control of me...'

I'd been feeling a subtle presence trying to bore into me...

What was my other option?

"Ring, scan for Atom's weaknesses!"

I ordered, still on the defensive- my only means of offence confined to physical constructs that he tore apart with energy beams.

(Scanning...)

A ray of yellow light washed down his body. The result displayed brought my mood down.

(No exploitable weaknesses found)

Fuck.

My thoughts were further derailed as a hit sent us spiralling towards the ground.

The protective sphere around us smashed through a groove of trees, before cracking apart as I lost focus, leaving us in it's impact crater.

(Ring charge: 12%)

My head ached with mental exhaustion, vision blurring and I had a nosebleed.

'Got to get up. No time...'

I forced myself to stand but the knees buckled. Jimmy grabbed my shoulders, hefting my weight up.

"Boss, sorry to say this...but you look like shit."

He threw my words back at me. Heh. Bastard.

"We also gotta leave before Captain Tin-foil finds us. Come on."

He added, dragging me out of the crater, only for something heavy to land before us.

"It's not Tin-foil, Tribbiani, but good guess. Now stand down, you're both arrested."

Speak of the devil.

Through my hazy vision, Atom had energy bolts charging in his fists, ready to blast us in case we failed to comply.

"Fuck that, I'm not going back."

Unexpectedly, Jimmy resisted.

"And neither is the boss. He's been doing a better job than you capes and your moral high grounds."

"I don't wear a cape."

Atom raised a brow.

"Ring connect me to Jimmy Telepathically."

I whispered.

(Ring charge: 11% - 10%)

["Jimmy, keep him talking while I think of something."]

["Got it, Boss. But hurry up"]

"Well superman and Batman do. Speaking of, what's with them wearing underwear on the outside? Kinda fishy for grown ass men..."

With the distraction underway, I focused on my internals, using my brainwaves to communicate with the ring, in a way similar to how J'onn and I would.

["Ring, assess my damage."]

["User is afflicted with a Concussion and Motion Sickness. Use 2% Charge to alleviate Effects?"]

That explained why it was so hard to keep my balance. I gave the go ahead and felt a coolness settle over my head as I healed up.

Able to think clearer, my situation, plainly speaking, pointed at surrender.

Atom was stronger than I in every possible spec, and even with the 8% ring charge left, there was no construct I could think of that could hurt him.

What I needed was a source of Fear to quickly recharge. But it had to be raw terror, just fear wouldn't cut it. It had to be...Primal...

That's it.

"THANKS JIMMY."

I tapped my Minion's shoulder.

"Oh no problem B-aah aaahh!!!!"

As he looked back, Jimmy was met with the Ghost Rider's terrifying visage, the illusionary construct I'd put over myself, perfectly capturing the empty eyes that threatened to pull you into a void of darkness.

"Bah hah ma ma..."

Jimmy stuttered, face twisted in pantshitting terror, that only grew worse as I leaned closer.

"I AM COME FOR WHAT YOU OWE ME, JIMMY BOY. JUDGEMENT UPON YOUR SOUL."

He stiffened, eyes rolling up his head and promptly passed out.

This time the fear was potent. Whisps of gray emotion entered the ring as it fed on the trauma-induced terror.

(Ring Charge: 8%- 67%)

Barely enough for what comes next.

"What did you do to him?"

Atom ground out in anger, as I gently placed Jimmy down.

"I finally understand it now."

I found myself saying, standing upright while breaking the Illusion around my body.

"The difference between Vengeance and Fear. Vengeance works on equal scales. Punishing your sins by forcing you to feel the pain and suffering of your victims. Fear on the other hand-"

"I don't know what you're going on about, but no more mercy. I'm taking you out Anders."

Atom moved to attack, punching out.

I felt the heat of his energy as the unleashed blast crossed the distance between us.

"Hope-Eater."

The air before me swirled with the emergence of a new Construct.

Massive Jaws like that of a snake took shape and with a hiss, opened and swallowed the blast, completely absorbing the nuclear charged energy into a bottomless stomach.

"I'll destroy all your constructs and show you I'm stronger!"

Atom increased his output, sustaining the beam and adding more power to it.

Yet the jaws swallowed it all...hungrily. In fact the void within the jaws was like a black hole, pulling in more of his power and forcing the Captain to cut off the connection before I drained him.

"How?"

He demanded in heavy breaths.

"Was etting to that before you interrupted."

I shook my head in frustration.

"But now I can't remember the whole monologue, except the last part...what was it again??? Oh yeah. Vengeance punishes sin, but fear devours hope. So say hello, Captain to my little friend...Hope-Eater. A cousin to Penance Stare if you will."

Another one formed under Atom and the jaws closed around his body before he could so much as utter a response.

"Turns out, Heroes are it's favorite snack."

I couldn't help my gloating smirk.

Penance Stare failed against the League because that skill used Guilt and Shame as its fuel. Heroes believe they're always on the right, so negative emotions have no hold on them. What has a hold on them, is Hope. They can't help but Hope.

It was sickeningly naive.

And Hope's biggest enemy...is Fear. Always.

Trapped in the void inside the Hope-Eater's stomach, let alone Captain Atom's power, even his hope was being devoured.

All that was left was...Fear. My ring gorged itself on it.

(Ring charge: 7%-> 100%)

I was getting a hang of this yellow lantern thing.

All that was left to do, was claim the rider and I would have two tools- one for dealing with Villains, the other for Heroes.