Chapter 11 : Brainiac and making an entrance on the Hero scene
[Author note : Dun dun dun ! The Iron Lad squib is here... (Even though I called him Silver Lad...)
Anyway, the title pretty much says it all, except that you won't see our favorite alien/robot/villain in this chapter. Just his drones and pawns... I'm still not satisfied with the action scenes but maybe I'm biased because I wrote them. Do leave a comment, please, guys ! Onto other things...
If you're interested in my stories or want to encourage me, please check out my Patréon : https://www.patréon.com/user?u=66371596 (replace the é by a normal e) or look for Cathbel on their website
KoSP : 2 advanced chapters
The Squib who became Iron Lad... In DC : 3 advanced chapters
Enjoy !]
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As Ned was flying in the sky above the city, he scanned the buildings and streets, thinking and repeating like a mantra that 'he wasn't ready'. Not only was MACUSA still on his case because of his technomancy, he, himself, was really not ready for something like this. Brainiac was… one of the god-like beings Superman faced on a regular basis. In the video game, Injustice 2, he was even made the antagonist of the remnants of the former Justice League and it took the alliance of the Regime and Batman's allies, to defeat him. And of course, Ned had no idea what version of Brainiac the world was facing right now…
However, when the alien ship started spewing drones and robots, Ned shook off his fears. Landing on the rooftop of a building, he clenched his fists and sighed.
« Here goes… hopefully, not my death ! »
* * * * *
The classroom's door was opened rudely and without any regard for the professor giving a lecture :
« Sue ! Sue ! »
« Miss Zatara ! Detention for disrupting my class ! Now leave ! »
« Sorry, Mister Bluegrass but it's important ! Sue, come with me, it's urgent ! »
The brunette negotiated with urgency, but without really telling what the problem was. Susan was curious why, her best friend from the Wampus House was so keen on getting her, from the Puckwudgie house, out of class, right now. She really had no idea…
As soon as they left, ZeeZee, as she called her friend using her initials, grabbed her hand and cast a spell under her breath :
« Evig su deeps ! »
A moment later, Zatanna and Susan were running like the wind through the halls of the school, taking on a familiar direction… The brunette refuge and lair in the school : her clubroom. Or rather, the classroom she appropriated to experiment with her strange form of magic (since no one else she knew could use magic simply by speaking backwards).
Once they were in the room, Susan asked :
« Why the hell have you brought me here, ZeeZee ? I need to study, you know… Unlike you, I'm not some magical genius who doesn't need to work. »
« I know, Sue, but… I'm pretty sure you'll want to see this ! Emuser gniyalp ! »
« …most people won't believe it's real… I have a hard time believing it's real and I'm right here. Aliens are invading ! We don't know what they want or even where they come from, but there are report of robots abducting people on the streets or… killing them by grabbing them by the head. If you're watching this in Metropolis : don't let them grab you ! There are shelters throughout the city, mostly in and under governmental buildings. If the fighting isn't happening around your position, make your way there… Otherwise, you are advised to stay indoors, lock the doors and close your blinds and windows… The authorities are… »
Susan spoke up :
« What… is this ? »
« The TV or what's on it ? I spelled the TV to work in school… Strangely enough, it works with my magic and it seems to be shielding it well enough. As for what's on it… It's a newsflash from a city called Metropolis… But that's not why I called you here ! Look ! Is that your brother ? »
Susan had talked to her best friend about Ned and his armor because she'd done the same about her own father, who was a champion of magic and someone she deeply admired. She was rather impressed that Ned, with seemingly no power of his own, had been able to create such a thing.
On the screen, they could see a humanoid figure flying through the air, shooting down flying metal contraptions with his hands.
« Merlin… » Susan covered her mouth with her hand. Worry started to rise from the pit of her stomach, like a knot or something heavy weighing on her.
« Superman's already known and we've been able to see him fly around and helping people but… There are two unknown heroes fighting in Metropolis' airspace right now. Wait… I've been told one of them is Doctor John Henry Irons with a prototype warsuit. The other is still unknown, but witnesses seem to say it is a young man… »
« If mom doesn't kill him… I will ! »
« That's if he survives… » Zatanna muttered in a low voice.
* * * * *
At the moment, Ned was thinking that this version of Brainiac was closer to the Injustice 2 version since he used bots and drones to do his dirty works of collecting the humans knowledge. The Silver Lad had done his best to destroy the ones he encountered. Apparently, although they were rather durable, magic damage wasn't something they were designed for : in front of his enchantments, they might as well have been made of paper.
Unfortunately, that brought him the attention of the Big Boy… Brainiac. Or rather, one of its more powerful flunkies.
Metallo, or John Corben, followed closely by Superman, as well as an African-American with a cybernetic armor, landed in the streets under him. As soon as he did, Metallo fired a kryptonite powered ray.
« Protego ! » Ned yelled. It was useless too, since Mel had already anticipated his need.
The power behind the attack sent him flying back a little, but it wasn't enough to break his shield.
« Sergeant Corben ! Snap out of it ! »
« Brainiac's will… shall be done ! You ! » At first, he seemed to struggle before taking on a monotone, robotic tone : « What is the energy your armor is running on ? Brainiac wishes to know ! »
« I'm guessing Brainiac is the 'genius' that's trying to take over our world, destroy it or whatever… Well, Brainiac may wish all he wants, he won't get any answers from me ! »
He thought to himself and more precisely to Mel :
What the ETA on the big guns ?
In his earpiece, she responded :
« 10 seconds before Portkey activation. Please, hold on ! »
As she said that, Ned took evasive action as the former sergeant started to barrage him with death rays. Although he was confident in his armor, the energy consumption was no joke. Especially after the earlier flight and fights…
Unfortunately for him, the entity who took over John Corben was a 12th-level intellect. It didn't take him long to anticipate his movements. And soon, Ned found himself draining his energy reserves as the kryptonite attacks became impossible to dodge.
Then, his shield spell fizzled out, and the attack threw him into a building.
« Kid ! » An unknown voice called out.
The next few seconds were a bit of a blur to him. He was rattled, his vision blurry and he felt pain throughout his entire body from the impact. After an undetermined period of time, Ned asked in a raspy voice :
« What's… ugh ! My status ? »
« You have 3 broken ribs, the bones in your left forearm are fractured. A minor internal bleeding has been detected as well as a mild concussion. I recommend a retreat, Ned… »
« Can't… Ouch ! » He replied as he tried to get out of the hole he dug himself in. « Activate all the healing enchantment we have. I have to get back in the fight… Where's my weapon ? »
« Stand by… »
Suddenly, Ned felt a weight on his shoulders. Given that he was still wounded, it was painful of course, but the adrenaline coursing through his veins helped with that. He heard, more than felt the mounted cannons latching onto his armor. With it, came the additional mana reactor which filled his reserves back up.
« Mel… » A strained smile stretched Ned's lips. « I think it's time for a bit of music. »
* * * * *
« Ned ! » Susan yelled frantically when she saw her brother get hit by that green laser and thrown into a building.
For a few seconds, she was in shock. She didn't want to believe, couldn't believe her eyes… And then, she heard her brother's blasted music. A loud blaring of hard rock, with the almost screeching voice yelling 'back in black' or whatever… And she sighed. Her brother propelled himself out of the debris, carpeting the approaching robots as well as his aggressor in Bombarda spells.
Susan, as well as Zatanna were impressed. Of course, they knew the spell. The problem was, it was a rather demanding spell… Not many students could successfully cast it, even in their 7th years. So, when they saw him launch them like they were tickling spells, blowing up robots as well as a good part of the streets… They were in awe.
« Damn, Sue ! Your brother's really good ! »
Reluctantly, she admitted :
« I guess… »
* * * * *
When he saw the child get hit, Superman felt his heart stop for a second. Now, with the music echoing all around him, he couldn't help but smile. John Henry Irons, codenamed Steel, was also smiling. He, too, had feared for the child.
Although they didn't know him, his presence was inspiring. If a kid could still fight after something like that, they, as adults, couldn't do any less ! While Steel worked on protecting civilians or rescuing them, either from the robots or the aftermaths of the fights, Superman and Ned worked on whittling down Brainiac's forces in the city. The Kryptonian, being the overpowered superhero that he was, was everywhere ! In the sky, on the ground, even in the buildings… Meanwhile, Ned was more limited, and therefore made use of Mel's processing power to move and attack more efficiently.
And then…
« What the… ? » John Henry, right at the edge of the city, trying to rescue people trapped on a collapsing bridge, noticed the change first. Some kind of bubble or forcefield had covered the entire city.
Superman, focused on fighting Metallo now, noticed it too but the Brainiac-piloted cyborg had maneuvered to take him out of the city as well. Only Ned was confined inside, along with the rest of the city.
« Damn it… That's not good ! »
He wasn't exactly sure how this version of Brainiac collected worlds, but in Injustice 2, he converted mass and matter into data and stored it inside his ship. Beyond the fact that he'd be powerless in this form, Ned feared the megalomaniacal villain would obtain his knowledge… He couldn't allow that ! In fact, just the idea of it made him furious !
He worked tirelessly for years ever since he came back to life… To have his life's work stolen from him (again !), revolted him. Brainiac, for all of his intellect and power was just that : a despicable knowledge thief !
« Tell me the drones are in place, Mel ! »
« They are. I'll put it up on your HUD. By my calculations, you have about 4 seconds to reach the portal before… the city is extracted and everyone is put to sleep. »
Without another word, Ned blasted his elemental repulsors, heading straight for the drone opening the portal for him to escape.
* * * * *
On Susan's side of things, she had sent a patronus with a short message to tell her parents to watch the TV… She could only hope her father got the message 'cause her mother certainly would not ! She did it a little after she understood why Zatanna had asked for her to come here. Now however, she had completely forgotten the warning sent to her parents, so when the patronus of her mother appeared (a panther), she was as surprised as ZeeZee. It said only two word before vanishing :
« Come home ! » In the voice of her mother.
It was just as a helicopter flying above caught the City of Metropolis getting shrunk and taken into the giant skull with tentacles. In shock, she stayed there looking blankly at the screen until it was her father's patronus who came by to order her to 'stay in school'. In a corner of her otherwise occupied mind, she idly thought they should really make up their minds…
* * * * *
In New York, a couple was arguing in their kitchen. The air was almost visibly vibrating from the magical energies moved with their emotions.
« What do you mean, we can't go there ? » Sarah shouted waving her hands around, her wand drawn. « We have to go to Metropolis ! »
« And what would we do ? It's a giant crater, Sarah ! MACUSA can't know about Ned being the one in armor and if we go… They'll start asking questions ! Besides, I don't think our magic could help him right now… At least, I can't think of any spells to deal with an alien invasion ! »
Sarah retorted :
« I don't care ! I-I… » She deflated and dropped into a chair. « What should I do, then ? » She then abruptly changed the subject, though it was still related to her son : « I don't think I fully believed Ned before today… I mean, I let him keep his armor because it eased my worries about him. What if he was attacked by a dark wizard or a magical creature ? Since he had this, I didn't really have to worry, especially since it seemed like he could defend himself with it but this… » She gestured at the TV her husband had spelled to work in their home. He had brought it urgently after Susan's message and even used a confundus charm to expedite the sale. As it were, he hoped MACUSA wouldn't find out about this…
Sarah seemed to finally find her words :
« I didn't think that what Ned was afraid of : aliens, no-majs with magical powers… I didn't think it was possible. I thought it was all a fiction… »
And then, their worries were put to rest…