Chapter 81 : Tortured
[Author note : In the next chapter, Ned will be back. With the next two chapters, I want you guys to tell me if you had foreseen what he was going through. Not before 'cause... you know, spoilers. Also, tell me what you think of it. You can comments, reviews and throw stones my way if you want, as well. After all, it keeps me motivated to give you more !
And of course, you can always visit my Patréon page (e instead of é) by searching for Cathbel on their website. I have other (beginnings of) original stories as well as 10 chapters of this one in advance. Enjoy !]
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The Teen Titans experienced Hell. Not the literal one, very much real in this reality. A man-made hell. Omen, the goth girl, was a metahuman with psionic powers. Unlike Bunker and Leash who could impact the world physically however, her powers worked on the minds of people. And for the next few hours, she worked on each and everyone of them, making them experience their worst fears. And of course, the Titans didn't know that about their captor.
Robin was put in an illusion where his body morphed into a hybrid human-bird : his legs grew talons, covering themselves in scales and his arms turned into wings. When his face started to change and grow a beak, he felt more terrified than anything in his life. Sure, he often envied the convenient powers the Metahumans could wield. But he was also aware that not all of them had them. In fact, not all of them were enviable. Some, like Skitter for example, mutated so much as to not be considered human anymore. And that was something he feared… Especially since he didn't know if he had the genetic predisposition to become a Meta…
Dick didn't know how long it lasted. Despite his mental fortitude and the doubts he had about what he was experiencing, his fears that he would be permanently changed stayed with him. When he lost consciousness and woke up later, he was back on the metal table, the others nowhere to be seen. But at least, he was back in his original form. Unfortunately, the freak, Harvest, was standing over him.
* * * * *
Meanwhile, the others experienced something remarkably different. They could see what Robin experienced at Omen's hands, however, they weren't chained down. The Titans were free to roam about and attempt to rescue their friend. The thing was, if they did, they risked endangering themselves. Robin was trapped in a massive bubble of water, enough to flood the cell and crush them should they break the bubble.
As Cassie moved in order to rescue Robin, Bunker stood against her, starting a fight to prevent her from causing all of their death. Solstice spoke up at the time :
« Stop it ! » She yelled. « You're playing right into Harvest's hands ! He wants us to be divided, to go at each other's throat. It'll make it easier for us to kill each other later ! »
This brought the duo short as they turned to look at her. Kid Flash who was previously trying to wake her up, and had succeeded, looked her in the eyes.
« What do you mean ? You know this freak ? »
Solstice nodded, an uneasy expression on her stormy face.
« Yes… I knew all along who the leader of N.O.W.H.E.R.E. was… After all, I was a Ravager. »
What she didn't say however, was that in order to join the group, she had had to go through her own Culling. Although she tried not to kill anyone, she couldn't be sure she managed it. After all, the Culling was a savage and messy event involving hundreds of Metahumans fighting for their lives or for supremacy. Not everyone of them were kindhearted as she was… And with N.O.W.H.E.R.E.'s conditioning, quite a few of them had been turned into unfeeling, uncaring killing machines.
And it all started with Omen…
« Omen's powers can make you hallucinate and experience your worst fears. Or at least, what she thinks are your worst fears. The reason why they put us all together is to drive us apart… As we all go through this baptism, we have to try and stick together if we hope to survive the Culling ! »
Hurt and feeling betrayed, Kid Flash asked :
« If you knew, all along… Why didn't you tell us ? Why didn't you tell me ? »
Bart and Solstice had grown closer ever since they escaped the facility in Antarctica. It wasn't that long ago, and yet… It felt like months or years already. With Silver Lad and his sidekicks' training, as well as their grand debut in New York, they had only grown closer. So, the fact that she hid something so big from him… Understandably, he thought that she was playing him.
« I… I-I couldn't. You don't understand… It's not just Omen. Harvest is terrifying ! I always felt like, in the back of my mind, I wasn't truly free of him. That it was only a matter of time until he caught me. I was afraid that he would kill me if I spoke about him. »
Harvest's and his organization's methods were truly pernicious. Even if not a lot of them respected, much less liked him, very little would dare to defy him. He had this hold over them that went beyond simple fear. Besides, although she knew of him, the little she did know wouldn't have mattered much. Beyond the fact that he was the leader and that he was insanely strong, she didn't know much else. His powers, his background and true identity… They were all a mystery to her as much as the Titans. Should she have risked her life to share with them useless information ?
Suddenly, the argument was cut short as Omen appeared in the cell again.
« Well, well, well… It seems our wayward pupil has just come clean to her new friends… Good for you ! I'm truly sorry of interrupting your shocking revelation but, it is time for one of you to join me. »
Kid Flash stood up, determination in his gaze as he read the abject terror in the eyes of the girl he liked. Until now, although he knew intellectually how sickening N.O.W.H.E.R.E. was, he didn't truly experience it first hand. After all, he was only captive for a week or so… Not enough for them to truly start their 'work' on him. But seeing how the person he liked seemed to have been broken by them… He felt an irrepressible anger, a murderous rage overcome him.
The next moment, he whirred into action, appearing instantly in front of Omen, ready to take her head off with the fastest punch he could muster… Only to be sent back with a casual wave of Omen's hand. A smirk stretched her lips as she looked down on the quickly recovering form of the speedster. Already he was on his feet and ready to rush at her again.
« You are quite fast, that is true. But can you be faster than thought ? »
« I'll show you… » He gritted out between his clenched teeth as lightning started to run over his body and in his eyes.
Before he could even depart however, he suddenly collapsed. And Omen looked at him with a taunting smile. He was still conscious as she told him :
« You will not be able to run if your brain can not control your body. What do you want to show me, exactly ? »
Then, as if dismissing the speedster, she turned to the others in the cell who were getting ready to attack her. She pointed a finger at Cassie and said :
« You're next ! » And in the next moment, they had both disappeared from the cell.
* * * * *
Meanwhile, in New York, in front of the Starks' house. Or at least, where it should be.
Winston and Sombra found themselves barred from entry, be it physically or via portkey, giving credence to Sombra's earlier prediction. Winston was currently thinking of a way around or through the pocket dimension and security measures put in place by their father.
Thankfully, before he suddenly became a paranoid mess, Ned left access to his files to his children. Which meant that the gorilla tech spirit was actually aware of how the house had been cut off from the rest of the world. Indeed, it was something similar to the Fidelius charm, but instead of having a human bearing the secret, it was hidden inside a server orbiting over the earth in a satellite. And yes, Ned had sent a satellite into space. One reason was because he was curious to find out if he could do it without alerting the magical and no-majs world, and also because he wanted one for intel gathering, among other things.
Besides, if he wanted to hide things from the people of Earth, it was better to hide it out in space. He also installed a massive magic reactor on it, with a slew of spells to hide it even from aliens.
Winston suddenly talked :
« Perhaps we could use the satellite to access the house… »
Sombra looked at him quizzically, not understanding his theory. She tilted her head, an eyebrow raised. In the end, she just shook her head and and agreed :
« Alright, then. If you think it'll work… »