44 - Metallo's Return

It was silent.

It was dark.

It was comfort.

It was tranquil.

It felt like a good, long sleep – one that you hadn't experienced in years, a deep slumber after decades of nightmares. A feeling of lethargy, like a thick fog drowning your senses. Tiredness in the morning drew, casting a subtle veil over the waking consciousness. A sensation as if emerging from a long dive in the ocean, a subtle pressure lifting off your skin.

It would have been a thrilling experience for an insomniac, but not for Metallo. He was a cyborg, and cyborgs don't sleep.

His eyes flicked to life, a green hue illuminating the darkness. He scanned his surroundings, but the light was swallowed by the darkness a few feet away from him. He knew from his posture that he was standing upright.

He tried to move his head, but it was stuck. He attempted to move his hands to check his neck, but they stayed still. He tried to command his system, yet nothing worked. He was imprisoned in his own body.

Embers of fear lit in the cyborg's mind. He couldn't die yet. Superman was alive. He can't and wouldn't die without killing him. Yes, he will not die without killing him. There was even another, yes, that girl.

Slowly, Metallo recalled his fight with Kara. He had ambushed her at the dock and got a clear hit on her with his kryptonite blaster, then they fought more, and he finally drowned her. Then...then...He couldn't remember.

He couldn't remember how the rest of the fight progressed, but he knew he was defeated. With his careful analysis, he could only deduce Superman's timely intervention. He, Metallo, was defeated again.

"You are finally awake."

A calm voice alerted Metallo to another presence. He scanned the darkness around him, instantly locking onto another emission of light. A screen on what looked like a helmet lit up with Neon light, taking the shape of an emoticon. (▿–▿)

"Took you long enough,"

The voice approached, its tone bionic, but it stayed hidden in the darkness. The figure was shorter than his towering frame. Metallo was a giant standing at the height of 8 feet, dwarfing anyone who stood next to him.

"I thought you would not wake up," The figure muttered as he walked around Metallo, checking his frame. "It would have been a waste if you were useless."

"Who are you?" Metallo broke his silence, his voice more metallic than bio.

The guy made a full circle around and stopped before Metallo. Metallo could hear a slight rustle of fabric, confirming that the man before him was wearing a suit. He was analyzing his opponent even as he stood still.

"Me?" The guy pointed at himself, his hand illuminating with a golden glow, "I am Neon, the guy you work for now."

Neon spread his hand, his suit lighting up with golden patterns running all over it. The golden glow illuminated the surroundings, revealing nothing but darkness.

"I work for no one," Metallo replied with a bite.

Neon pocketed his hand and said with a cheeky grin, "You are now." His suit's cuffs lit up with neon gold, running up his arm. Neon removed his hands from his pocket and lifted them up, clearly imitated by Metallo's body, without his control.

"After all, I am in control," Neon said as he dropped back, a force field extended from his suit, molding into a throne for him to sit. "So, wanna talk?" He smirked.

"What have you done to me?" Metallo questioned, while trying to regain control over his body.

Neon shifted in his throne, trying to find a comfortable position. He finally just slacked on the throne, his fist supporting his head. He looked at Metallo's appearance, a ghostly skull of a face with bright green orbs for eyes, giving an eerie feeling to anyone who gazed at him. His edgy metallic knight armor covered his whole body, making him more intimidating. Standing like a giant carrying a great sword.

Neon's design was that of an undead knight who climbed out of hell to hunt you down in an unending pursuit.

"A full system upgrade and major body modifications," Neon answered nonchalantly, tapping a projected screen on his wrist. He then commanded the changes to be known to Metallo.

The information on the modification flooded Metallo's mind, stunning him silent for a moment. His whole body was altered to something more powerful, more potent than his old body.

Metallo's eyes lit up more brightly as he focused on Neon again, his interest in this fellow increasing, but his wariness was also peaked.

Seeing Metallo silent, Neon tilted his head, a sad expression taking his visor. ಥ_ಥ "Do you not like my makeover?"

Metallo remained silent seeing the emoticon; he knew that guy was not sad from his voice. He was just messing around.

"But it's of the essence; you look scary," Neon stated, returning to his lazy position," But I am here to offer you a chance, Metallo. I could have just erased your consciousness and installed another."

Metallo felt chills in his system at the statement. Erasing his consciousness meant his death, and he was not ready to die.

"What do you need?" Metallo asked, finally relenting.

"You do the job I give you without any slip-ups," Neon stated, "You can do whatever you want after that."

"If I refuse?" Metallo questioned.

"You already know the answer," Neon rose up with a smile, "I replace you with someone capable."

"Okay, I will work with you," Metallo agreed, he didn't have any other choice.

At his answer, the giant knelt, his head held down. Neon made a （￣︶￣）smiley face and patted Metallo's metallic form. Metallo clearly understood the show of control. If he accepted now and tried to go back later, he would still be under control like a chained dog.

"Do well," Neon stated.

Metallo, out of control, could only grit his teeth and accept his fate. "I shall comply."

"Neat," Neon turned his back to Metallo, "Keep yourself hidden here until I give you your order."

He then proceeded to walk away from Metallo, slowly disappearing into the darkness. His glow vanished, swallowed by the darkness. Metallo stayed in the kneeling position for an unknown time before he gained back his control.

Metallo stood up, his gaze lingering in the direction Zion vanished. His visuals were still limited, unable to look into the darkness. As he stood still in contemplation, a mechanical voice rang in his mind.

[System initiated]

[10% ]

[20%]

[30%]

[40%]

[50%]

[60%]

[70%]

[80%]

[90%]

[...

...]

[99%]

[100%]

[Complete]

It was as if a fog was lifted in Metallo's mind. Everything became visible to him, and the darkness surrounding him disappeared as his eyes peered through the veil. He was in a building with many craters covered in nets. From the dust accumulated, it hadn't been used in months.

Metallo checkedhis system; the feedback provided in-depth details about his body and the alterations made. Metallo lifted his hands and saw the spiky gauntlet adorning his arm. He liked the redesign; it reflected his pursuit to bring death to Superman.

Metallo reached behind and gripped the hilt of his Kryptonite Slayer, a giant sword with a kryptonite edge. He could feel its strength as if it were alive. Yes, he felt the sword was alive; he didn't know if it was due to his upgraded program or something else.

He hadn't fully dealt with the fact that he was now a slave to someone, but, "As long as I get the power to kill Superman," Metallo muttered as he sheathed his sword on his back.

Now, he wait,

...

And it didn't take long for Metallo to receive his orders.

In the ecstasy of freedom, Metallo blew up his confines. He used his propulsion system to take to the skies, his dark-green metallic coat giving him cover in the night sky. Metallo's eyes glowed with a greenish hue as the city of Metropolis became dissected into grids, revealing everything and everyone present.

The details of his mission flashed in his mind, a clear image of his prey. A cyborg but more primitive and bestial, with little to no intelligence. Metallo felt disgusted at the creature; it was an abomination.

In minutes, he got a ping on the creature. His system tracked the sighting and deduced its probable path and hiding spot. The boosters on Metallo increased in power, giving a burst boost to his flight.

It took less than a minute for Metallo to arrive at the location.

He stopped his boosters and plunged into the building, breaking through many concrete walls. Metallo's body felt no wall; it just broke through them like they were wet paper. The sound of concrete shattering filled the empty car park.Metallo broke the final wall and stuck the superhero landing.

...

In the darkness of the underground, dust of broken concrete filled the vision, obstructing the perpetrator of destruction. A soft light fluttered through the broken opening, illuminating the darkness dimly.

~Pluck~Pluck ~Pluck~

~Ziiinngggg~

In the darkness, the sound of concrete chunks falling filled the empty floor. A dark silhouette rose from the rubble, ghastly green eyes ignited. The green flames wandered, trying to find its prey. The dark giant moved its hands, metals clanking against each other, and grabbed the hilt of its giant sword.

The floor was silent, proving no presence of living.

Metallo scanned the floor, darkness clear as light. He took a step forward, concrete shattering under his weight. He gripped his sword, and it responded with a hum, illuminating the floor in a greenish hue. Metallo took another step forward, his stance spread.

"Not going to come," he muttered in a chilly voice.

His voice echoed. He knew his prey was here, hunting him.

"Fine," Metallo muttered as he made a swift turn and slashed with his sword at the ceiling.

The Kryptonite Slayer revealed the hidden creature as it removed its shoulder from its body and continued to slice through the 10-inch concrete. The creature reacted to the slash by jumping back into the darkness, but clearly not in time.

Metallo locked eyes with the creature, its severed wound closing. The creature growled, angered. Its metallic body transformed, forming pincers from its back. Its chest lit up with power, and it roared in a screeching cry.

Metallo brought his sword forward. He had never used a sword as his primary weapon. But the new system had programmed for battle mode with many different fighting styles, allowing him to use his power efficiently.

~SCRRRREEEECH~

The creature launched, ready to tear Metallo to ribbons. Its pincers extended to skewer Metallo. But Metallo remained calm; he moved his sword with a clear path. A green arc formed in the air, a wave of power extending from the sword.

The creature, sensing danger, dodged to its left.

*Blood spurted*

A clean cut from the right shoulder to its pelvis, removing half of its body. The dissected body slid to the floor, with a chilling splash.

Metallo didn't wait; he moved, closing the distance between himself and the demon. He lifted his sword high, performing a perfect slash, removing the upper body from the lower. The demon had no way to block the blurring green.

Its upper torso slid from its legs, dead.

Metallo stabbed its head, a final blow to kill it. The sword moved uninterrupted.

Metallo drew his sword and shook it off of blood. He attached it to his back and ripped the chest of the demon with his own hands, removing a box hidden from its insides.

"It's the one," Metallo muttered.

["Yes."]

A confirmation.

"What do I do with it?" Metallo asked for his next orders.

["Take the cube to this location and wait."]

"Hum," Metallo grunted in agreement.

["And destroy the body."]

Metallo used his energy blaster and melted the body.