Chapter 26: Battle Beast
"AH," Nightwing couldn't help but yell as explosions from the anti-air artillery exploded next to him as he plummeted towards the earth, unlike his teammates the only enhanced durability he had came in the form of the body armour he had, if one of those shots got too close or hit him directly he'd be history.
'Nightwing are you okay!' Miss Martian asked over their link, they were all falling together and not flying as to make it harder to differentiate themselves from debris, this was the idea though Nightwing had made the mistake of assuming the artillery ran on an automated system. But it seemed they were manned and so appearing as falling debris did nothing but make them prime targets.
Nightwing was just about to warn everyone to take evasive action before Mark transformed and told everyone that he'd draw their fire and would meet them soon. Nightwing felt a bit better that they now had a clear path to the ground but he felt bad that Mark had to make up for his own mistake 'Why did I not consider their air defences would've been upgraded,' he thought to himself as he fell, though he wasn't able to think for too long as the ground was coming up fast.
"Nightwing!" He heard Donna shout as she swooped in and caught him pretty close to the ground, Megan did the same for Connor though he looked less happy about it than Dick did. They all landed on the rocky desert below and Dick immediately checked his watch, there was a town a few miles away from them that was built in front of the presidential palace, all the servants and their families live there. Batman had managed to find some dissenters who would be able to show his team a secret entrance into the auction where they would slip in unnoticed, though it seems that security is going to be on alert now that they know they're here.
"Okay let's keep moving forward, they are going to send a clean-up crew no doubt so we need to be gone by then and make it to the town, keep low and hidden we can't be discovered again," Dick ordered with the others nodding in acknowledgement.
'Mark we are on the ground but be careful you are heading out of my telepathic range,' Miss Martian warned before they started moving.
'Alright I'm heading towards you now,' Mark replied though as he said that they saw an explosion go off in the sky and lightning stop shooting, because of Mark's outfit it was easy to tell he'd been hit. Megan covered her mouth in shock 'We should help him!' She said as she started to fly off the ground only to be grabbed by Dick.
'He's survived much worse than that he will be fine, but we need to keep moving or this whole mission is going to be over before it starts,' Dick stated in a serious tone. Megan looked conflicted but eventually, she gave up and followed orders.
Dick and his team began moving through the rocky plain as fast as they could they managed to put a hit of distance between themselves and their landing zone before a squad of soldiers rolled up. There was little cover in this terrain which wasn't a problem for Megan or Dick but for Connor and Donna who had spent their lives fighting and placing less emphasis on stealth, it wasn't helping.
'Keep moving we are almost there,' Dick said through their mental link, he looked up to check if the search party looking for them had received any air support yet but they hadn't which was good for them. Since there was no wreckage and no bodies they had the advantage of Bialya not knowing who was trying to infiltrate them, Mark wasn't well known and those who did know him knew he fought against the Justice League at one point which did well in hiding their identities.
It wasn't long before they finally reached the edge of the town and they quickly funnelled in "Where do we go now," Connor whispered, Dick checked his watch to see but he was having a few issues with it.
"Quickly come inside," a woman shouted from a doorway opposite them. However the team just looked at her with suspicion and got ready for a fight, the woman sighed "I am your contact, you want to get inside the palace do you not?" She asked rhetorically which sobered the team up and they quickly went inside the house.
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"So do you have any last words?" Mark said with a smirk as he held his hand up, lighting danced between his fingers with increasing intensity.
"Oh? You'll kill me? I had been led to believe heroes on this planet did not kill." He said with a feral grin on his face as he started to roll his shoulders.
Mark shrugged "I'm not a hero, but I probably won't kill you unless you're a weakling then I might for simply having the audacity to stand in front of me." He stated, Mark felt a slight pain in his heart as he uttered those words, as if he regretted them as soon as they came out of his mouth but he quickly shook that off and smiled once more.
"If you're from another planet why are you here doing security for a criminal?" Mark asked curiously.
The white beast shrugged "I was told that this planet had worthy fighters that would be able to make my blood boil and bring the excitement in my life that I am looking for," he replied.
Mark started to laugh at his words almost in an uncontrollable fashion before he wiped a mock tear from his eye "They lied." He said as he shot a powerful lightning bolt straight at the beast which hit him directly. Mark lifted off the ground as he floated towards the smoke-filled area that his lightning had caused. As he flew above and tried to see the mangled body of the white lion creature he was surprised when he jumped out of the smoke with his golden mace in hand roaring as he swung it.
Mark was taken off guard as he felt the golden mace make direct contact with his chest and send him straight to the ground. He felt blood fill his mouth which he spat out before quickly zooming away and avoiding another swing from the mace, but it seemed it didn't matter how fast he was as the beast was relentless in chasing after Mark. He ducked under a swing of the mace before yelling and throwing a punch at the beast which sent the white creature back a couple of metres though he didn't look too affected by the hit.
Mark flew straight at him and tackled the beast into the ground, the earth was being forced up as Mark dragged the beast along the ground throwing punches at his face all the while. What he didn't expect was for the beast to grab onto Mark's throat and flip their position as he dropped his mace and started pounding Mark into the ground. Mark caught his fist after the seventh punch before using his powers and sending a wave of repelling force out of his body which sent the beast careening off of him.
Mark pushed himself up before touching his hands to his face, more blood was present than before and it made him scowl 'There's no way this beast is stronger than me!' He thought to himself as he saw the lion roar at him before it charged at him. Mark yelled as he flew towards the beast and they both sent powerful punches to each other which clashed ripping the earth up around them.
Mark and the beast sent punch after punch at each other at a speed that a normal person wouldn't be able to see "YES SHOW ME MORE!!!!" The beast shouted as he tanked a punch in his stomach before baring his claws and slashing Mark across the chest which surprised him as he looked down and saw how the beast's claws at broken through his skin, this only enraged him more before he lightning channelled through his body and then launched a devastating punch to the face which sent the creature rolling across the ground.
Mark shot off the ground into the sky flying high into the air before shooting back down just as the beast managed to flip midair and punch into the ground slowing his momentum. Mark collided with the beast causing a large explosion, however, the beast still wasn't injured and he grabbed Mark by the head and headbutted him before taking a bite out of his shoulder making the young man scream. He was determined to win this through force of strength as the beast had wounded his pride but it seemed he wouldn't be able to as much as he hated to admit it.
Mark sent a surge of electricity straight into the beast's mouth which got him to let go he then through a rapid combination of punches at him before flipping and uppercutting his jaw with his foot. Mark then shot an intense beam of lightning straight at the beast which sent him skidding back as he tried to hold it back. He then flew towards the beast while maintaining the stream and at the last second, he cut it off before sending a strong right hook to the beast's face sending him tumbling to the ground.
"Is that enough for you!" Mark said a little manically as he saw the beast face down on the ground. Though the smile faded from his face as he saw the lion-like creature stand up and crack his neck as if nothing had happened "Why is that all you have?" The creature said before turning around and looking at Mark with what he assumed was a mocking smile.
Mark screamed before flying right at the beast with his fist drawn back, though the moment he got close the beast launched an uppercut which caught Mark in the stomach and sent him up in the air. He then quickly followed as he jumped off the ground and grabbed Mark by the leg before throwing him back to the ground, Mark crashed into the ground which was quickly followed by the beast slamming feet first into Mark's body.
"This is truly entertaining!" The beast shouted as he walked over to his golden mace and picked it up. Mark had managed to lift himself by the time the beast was back and he looked at the creature with utter contempt. Mark shot a stream of lightning at the beast again however this time it was easily disbursed by the mace in his hands as he held it in front of him like a shield 'Fine I guess it's the hard way,' Mark thought to himself as he zoomed towards the beast though his movements were a bit more sluggish than before.
Ducking under a swing from the mace Mark punched the beast in his snout which hurt him enough for him to scowl at him. Mark then spun midair avoiding another swing and then sending a kick straight to the beast's jaw in the same manoeuvre, holding his palm out a red sphere came into existence which he slammed down into the beast's chest sending him to the ground.
Mark wasn't finished yet, he grabbed the beast by the ankle and started to swing him around at an increasingly rapid speed just before launching him into the sky, Mark then followed after him flying at his fastest speed.
*BOOM*
Marks connected punches one after the other as he launched the beast higher and higher into the air. The beast growled as he caught Mark's next fist before sending one of his own back at Mark, however, Mark tanked the blow and pulled him closer before headbutting him over and over again, then slamming his knee into his snout and then ending it with a lighting infused uppercut sending him higher into the atmosphere.
Mark grinned as could see the blood pouring out of the beast's nose and he flew after him again as he engaged him again. They both slammed blow after blow at each other though it seemed that Mark was the one taking more damage, however, he didn't stop and he kept on punching him higher and higher before he eventually managed to get onto the beast's back after which he created a red sphere in his hand and with a yell he slammed it into the beasts face as he held onto him from behind.
The beast started to roar as he tried to reach for Mark and throw him off his back, his claws started to rip through Mark's skin as he tried to grab him but Mark remained resolute and held on as they went further and further into the atmosphere while he dug the sphere into the beasts face. Mark then pulled back on the beast which aimed him upwards and he placed his feet on his back before booting him further into the sky.
Channelling lightning into his red sphere it grew a lot bigger, with a shockwave that would've deafened a normal person the sphere was launched at the beast who had no way to avoid it. The beast roared and shouted as he left the earth's atmosphere being pushed out of it by the red sphere.
Mark followed and flew up to the beast after the sphere had dissipated. He was met with an extremely malicious look as the beast floated in space unable to move 'He can't fly,' Mark thought amusedly as he smirked at the beast.
'You would end our battle in such a way...' he heard the beast say in his mind.
This stung Mark's pride and he was close to dragging the beast back down into the atmosphere and continuing their fight but the part of him that wanted to find Harley wouldn't let him 'Our fight isn't finished yet...' Mark said which caused the beast to grin.
'But I have something important I need to do,' he continued which morphed the beast's smile into a frown.
'If it's more important than battle then it must be a woman,' the beast replied.
Mark couldn't help but look surprised at the beast's statement which caused him to smile 'The most important things in this world, women, fighting and eating,' the beast continued.
'Go... but do not forget our fight... because I will not,' The beast warned, as he crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
'What's your name?' Mark asked.
'If you wish to know my true name then best me in combat, for now, you may call me Battle Beast,' he replied.
Mark watched him float away, it seemed this whole fight was more of a game to him and Mark was the only one taking it so seriously 'I'd be fucked if he could fly,' he thought to himself as he flew back into the earth's atmosphere and back to the presidential compound which was now a mess. There seemed to be a barracks by the lake so Mark landed in front of the building before walking up to the door and knocking.
A soldier opened the door and almost pissed himself when he saw the bloodied and bruised form of Mark, however, he wasn't scared for long as Mark slapped him across the face knocking him out. He walked inside and looked around but it seemed that this soldier was the only one who was there, he looked down at the man's uniform before lightning started to dance across his body and his white outfit changed into an exact copy of the soldier's uniform.
Mark then went to the bathroom where he wiped his face with water trying to get the blood off him, he had to snap his nose back into place again as Battle Beast had broken it again 'Well it didn't heal the first time to be fair,' he thought to himself. Mark then searched the soldier, going through his pockets before he finally found what he was looking for.
His phone had been destroyed, though Mark wasn't sure if it was the anti-air gun or the fight between him and Battle Beast 'I wonder if Batman has an indestructible phone, that would be useful,' he thought to himself as he turned the phone on before using the man's thumb to unlock it. He then sent a message to a person who he knew wouldn't be happy that he'd just disappeared.
...
*Ding*
Poison Ivy looked down at her phone which was on the table and a look of displeasure made its way onto her face "About time the bastard contacted me!" She said angrily.
Unknown: Hey Ivy it's Mark I just wanted to let you know that I've found where Harley is being held.
Ivy's eyes widened 'Why did he take so long to tell me!' She thought as she saved his number and quickly typed back a message.
...
Unknown: You asshole where did you go and why did you take so long to contact me, where is Harley tell me now!
Mark sighed as he read her message, he was surprised that she answered so quickly and hoped he'd at least get half an hour to himself before she messaged, he quickly saved her number and typed a message back.
...
Greedy Dumbass: I'll send you the coordinates, and the reason it took so long is because she's in a different country.
Green Bitch: So I was right? She was taken by the Underground Auction.
Greedy Dumbass: Yeah, I'm at the auction now so I'll try and find her, but I'm giving you the coordinates just in case something goes wrong, can you get to Bialya?
Green Bitch: I live outside... where am I getting this money to travel all of a sudden.
Greedy Dumbass: You said you were an Eco-Terrorist, use the money you get from that.
Green Bitch: Are you an idiot? Do you think I get paid a wage to be a terrorist, besides I haven't done anything like that in a while, so hurry up and give me money.
Greedy Dumbass: Fine, I'll wire you over some money, though I should be done by the time you get here.
Mark then put the phone back into his pocket as he walked into the barracks kitchen and started eating everything he could find, at this moment he couldn't help but think.
'Maybe Battle Beast was onto something,'
(AN: Battle Beast is now in orbit, even with Shazam's powers Mark could never beat Battle Beast so he had to incapacitate him some how. This was what they did in canon kind of. Anyway the auction is going to begin soon and people are in their positions, well almost everyone. If there are any characters or objects you'd like to see in the auction please comment down below. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.)
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