Vol III | Chapter XXII

Author's Announcement

I think some readers forgot to read Chapter XX before reading Chapter XXI, or I'm just thinking too much about it. (I mean the views contradict with C. XXI having more than C. XX)

The grammars or anything that needs checking were not checked, so apologies in advance :)

A treat that Hylric deserves, a moment of 'fuck around and find out' and a chance to show off why he became a Grenadier and be in the spotlight.

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"What was on your mind for you to get punched, and get your lips busted?"

Zatanna walked alongside Oliver as they both conversed about the situation further, and the sight of the Green Lantern being punched in the face, as well as having his jaw and lips busted from being smacked by the back of a helmet.

"Ah nothing, just a trivial matter compared to recent events that have been going on." Oliver answered, as he extended their conversation to unique and grotesque crimes that were happening to each of their own cities, the brutality and horror was unmatched but they all shared something in common.

"Do you mean those strange symbols that are painted or carved on the heads of dead victims and arrested criminals?" Zatanna inquired, her eyes concerned and worried at such horrific accidents beginning to become common.

"Not just on the heads, but on their bodies as well as they disfigure themselves, I believe it is a cult's doing, though the question is we don't know who and what the cult is, and where they are..."

Both fell into a moment of silence, the crime that was being committed under an unknown cult's movement was spreading, and although it started at National City it has started to take effect in Star City and other nearby cities as well.

The symbol was being spread, and deaths were drastically increasing.

"This may sound outlandish, but can this be connected to the arrival of the guardsmen that were first found in National City, since the timing seems just about right." Zatanna speculated, before she continued when she saw that she caught the interest of Oliver, since it would be troubling if it was the case.

"I mean, has the cultist that escaped the Watchmaster and her Grenadier been captured yet?"

At that exact moment, Oliver stopped in his tracks with wide unbelieving eyes - as if he just discovered a truth - before he quickly regained his senses and spoke to Zatanna about it.

"The Cultist! I hope I may be wrong, but if it isn't then I fear that we should talk to Batman about this. If the Cultist is behind this sudden spread of 'cult' movement, then we may need their help."

With his suggestion that they bring up the topic with the guardsmen that they have detained, both of them lock eyes before understanding what needs to be done.

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Meanwhile, after having run away from Scarecrow, in their escape Jason and Masha have somehow become separated from Hylric.

After being split apart from the Watchmaster and the Red Hood, Hylric buckled in as he walked around looking for them, the sound of the sewers being the only thing that he could hear and his own steady breathing.

As he walks around, the sounds of his footsteps along the shallow waters and subtle sound of rats roaming around, he listens in for any indication to the Watchmaster's or the Red Hood's location. He continued to listen in as he continued to search for them through the sewers, and it was an eerie silence except the running water until he heard something indifferent.

"Fear is present and can not be removed, I can show it to you."

He hears it from behind and he turns around so swiftly only to find no one there, then it sounded again behind him, and again it was the same. With a short laugh, it was then followed by the sound of releasing gas.

It was useless against him, Hylric understood that and the Scarecrow knew that which was why the next voice that whispered to him from behind was met with a punch to the gas mask that broke one of the lenses.

With an eye injured from the broken lens - a tiny piece of shards probably wounded his eyes - before he immediately took a shot at the dark. But just as he had immediately responded to the attack by firing his gun, his body was instantly reacting to the gas that was being released around the sewer.

Before, the dark was simply empty and nothing, after, the dark had grown eyes and devilish smiles until a person - but not a man - approached him. Hylric groans and stumbles - losing his grip on his weapon and dropping it to the ground - as he places a hand on the wall for support, and the Scarecrow was pleased with the effectiveness of the gas.

"I would show you the worst of your fear, and we shall see if it breaks you."

The Scarecrow got close to him, and to Hylric he saw the face of whatever horror that his mind could contort, only for him to throw hands and punch a gobsmacked Scarecrow to the wet shallow ground.

"I am the Emperor's undying sentinel of his divine will, I stand resolute without fear."

Despite being under the influence of the gas that Scarecrow released, Hylric started to throw hands with Scarecrow having foolishly and prematurely shown himself before a guardsman that was still standing - it was almost as if he thought a lion without its teeth, claws and strength was harmless - as he receives several devastating punch.

Although the punches were becoming slower and weaker, Hylric got the Scarecrow under him and on the wet sewer floor as Hylric turned to choke him instead, however, the Scarecrow was able to escape his grasp by spraying him with a gas to the face.

"Damn you! Argh- You will pay for this!" Scarecrow exclaimed, trying to compose himself after being at the receiving end of brutality.

Hylric that was between the state of consciousness and passing out, he held out even as he was on his knees he stared at the Scarecrow without fear in his eyes - the eye that was revealed through one of the broken lens showed unwavering eyes - before the sudden eruption of gunshot forced the Scarecrow to retreat.

"Masha, retrieve him!" Jason orders as he keeps his dual pistols on point and firing.

With deep shallow breaths, and eyes flickering to stay open, Hylric could only hear the sound of gunshot before he evidently passed out.

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"How is he?!" Jason sounded concerned over Hylric's status, as he found them another faculty room - that was fortunately lit with electricity - that had little difference from the previous other that they discovered before Scarecrow had disabled the lights.

As he secures the door behind them, he looks over to Masha that hasn't responded as she carried Hylric behind her back and brings him down on the dry floor. He goes over before he checks for Hylric's pulse - something that Masha has already done - as he sighs a soft relief.

"I did not expect that we would be forced into any sort of engagement, especially when Batman has been going around lately taking care of business."

Jason lets out a chuckle as he figures something that could be possible, so he said it out loud when he looked to the side and saw the Watchmaster eyeing him and almost as if silently asking him what was so amusing. "Maybe it is because it is for that reason that the Scarecrow - and maybe potentially others - have gone underground."

"Although that would also seem unlikely, since most if not all would outright fight him if they couldn't help it." Jason added as he sat down on the floor without a care.

As Masha listens to Jason's thoughts as she watches him, she turns and looks at Hylric and gets a good look at him before turning her attention again to the Red Hood with some question she would like to ask and get some answer.

"You know Batman from before, what were you to him?"

Jason was quiet for a time - maybe as he considers the question - before he replied with "Just did some fighting alongside with him, nothing more than that." and he goes back to being quiet.

"As for you, I heard that you weren't much for talks. Yet, you become quite chatty the moment it has something to do with you and who you're with. But I get you, it is just the feeling that you got to know something, before that 'something' turns around and bites you."

"Wanting to be prepared doesn't hurt, I agree with that." Jason concludes their talk as both rest up, since it would be unwise for them to stay too long at one place before Scarecrow could hunt them down again.

◹][◸ ~ Astra Militarum ~◹][◸