The remaining titans, archer and demon fought off the acrobatic fear constructs as quickly as they could.
With as much focus as they could manage with Black Canary and Batman out of comission.
Hawk unleashed her chaos. Feathers bloomed from her skin and fire flowed from her eyes as she ripped through three constructs before being brought back to humanity by Dove.
Green Arrow and Arsenal turned a horrific rendition of Nightwing to swish cheese with arrows shadowed by Ravens magic.
Beastboy, Lagoon-boy and Terra were in the midst of handling the rest when a blast of blinding green light bloomed from the crack in the cave.
With it came a deafening wolfs howl.
Lucien rose from the depths, his transformation had taken another step towards true monstrosity. His jaws extended into a wolfish snout. Sabered fangs peeked out from his lips. His ears sharpened and twitched with every movement made in the room. He was nearly twice his previous size and weight.
The green lantern uniform stretched across his beastial form like a black second skin with flashes of green as the seams stretched over his shifting muscle.
Verdant flames danced on his suit-skin and flowed through his hair.
"Nice threads. Seems a little inspired, but what can I say? I have that eff—"
Lucien cut off Nightwing with a blast from his ring.
Nightwing flipped out of the way and flew after Lucien.
The two collided in a blast of opposing light. Their punches shook the cave and left rocks falling.
Nightwing wasn't as agile in the air as he was on the ground, and if Lucien were to guess, his ring was low on charge.
The realization only spiked his violence.
He slashed at Nightwings chest, cutting through the suit and splitting the undead skin beneath.
Nightwing took aim with his ring. An arrow ripped through his wrist, throwing off his blast of light.
Lucien took advantage and took aim with his rifle construct.
He mag dumped Nightwing with explosive rounds.
As the vampire king fell to the ground with smoke rising from his chest, Lucien sharpened his focus.
The green smoke twisted and turned into a serpent that coiled around Nightwings throat.
He laughed as it squeezed, "I don't need to breathe….. remember?"
"Yea."
The snake turned into a spinning belt of razors.
Fear crept into the kings face as the blades spun and began to shear his head off.
"Hah! Just kidding. Good fight, bloodbags. But aren't you forgetting someone?" Nightwing burst into shattered shards of disolving hardlight.
"Damian!" Bat-girl looked around the room.
"That was a clone?" Hawk questioned. "Since when could regular lanterns make constructs that realistic?"
"They….. can't."
Everyone turned to face Batman.
He laid on the other side of the split in the cave beside his shattered table.
Everyone rushed over to him.
Redhood, Red Robin, Signal, Batgirl and Etrigan kneeled around him.
He was covered in soot and his own blood. It was a miracle he was still alive. Lucien could hear his heartbeat fading.
"Bru—"
"Don't." Lucien interrupted Bat-girl.
Batman regarded Lucien differently then before turning back to his children. "Bat-girl. It's been an honor to watch you grow. The Nightwing you fought today isn't the one you know and love. Stick to your instincts and crack this case."
He took Red Robin's hand, "Gotham needs Batman. More than ever. It needs you."
"Wha— no. I can't. This is….." He trailed off as he realized things Lucien couldn't have known, "I will."
"I love you all so much. I'm sorry….. I couldn't be more." Batman said in hushed whispers before his eyes closed.
Etrigan raised his head, "Warriors fall every day. But seldom do they shake the earth in such profound ways. You will be missed, dark knight."
"No he won't." Lucien pushed past everyone.
"What are you doing?!" Red Hood asked.
Before he could approach Lucien and pull him away from Batman, Lucien spawned a construct of a cage that had everyone stumbling back a few steps.
"I'm playing the game."
Lucien opened his jaws and bit down on Batman's arm.
so, if you couldn’t tell already. a new gameplan has formed in Lucien’s mind. more will be explained in the future but this what I got for y’all for now.
tbh, I planned to kill Batman. but that seemed to have an averse reaction and tbh, not killing him allows for more changes from the og comic so oh well. lmk what ya think and thanks for reading!