The Rider of Young Justice Season 1: Beginnings

Usual Suspects

A.N: This chapter will finish where "Fall of Vengeance" left off which will lead and tie into this chapter.

Abandoned Warehouse, Happy Harbour: 6:48am, December 7th, 2010

P.O.V Change: Matthew Spectre

I open my eyes and just see wild black hair. I focus my eyes and see Jade holding me tightly. I smile a so go to touch her but my hand passes right through her. I pull back in surprise. I see my hand and notice that it's transparent. I can see right through it. I stand up suddenly as I look around, I see a bird in mid flight but the strange thing is that it's almost completely still, it's wings are slowly flapping. I turn back and see myself, an open wound in my chest. Jade holding me close with tears falling down her face. Artemis and Rachel embracing her. "Weird, isn't it?" I hear a voice say as I turn and see a blue glow manifest into a man, he steps forward to me. I see his eyes glow with a gentle blue. Long dark hair pulled back into a stylish ponytail. Strong fit build with a Greek toga covering his form. "Who are you? What is this? Am I......am I dead?" I say in rapid succession. The man looks down, his eyes turn back up to me. "I'm putting sure you know the answers to your questions, Matthew."

The figure says as I recongise his voice. It's not a growl or echoing with the voices of past riders but the distinct voice that always was present. "Zarathos?" I say in bewilderment as he smiles. "It's nice to finally meet you. Face to face." He says as he approaches me. His light glow encompasses me as I feel at peace in his presence.....safe. I turn my head down to my body and everywhere else. "What is this? What's happening?" I ask. "Your soul has left your body. What you are seeing is the Astral Dimension. Before souls pass, they pass through the Astral Dimension. To be accepted......or damned." He says as I walk around. Everything seemed normal but it's just unnerving how.....still everything is. It's all on motion but it doesn't seem real. "So I'm dead.....it's done." I say as I sit by Jade, Artemis and Rachel, just watching, seeing the hurt and pain etched on their faces. "Yes. Your heart has stopped and by the obvious......your soul has left your body." He says as I scoff. "I knew that this would happen. Told myself it was for the greater good......we both said that I was needed. And with it done......why does it seem like a failure?" I ask him as he sits beside me. "Because you have loved ones. You know that what had happened was necessary but you feel that you have now abandoned your loved ones. You feel like a failure because you feel that you have left them with nothing but grief." He says as I wipe my tears away. "I don't want to leave them......I can't." I say as I feel his hand sit comfortingly on my shoulder. I look at him as he smiles. "Then don't." He says as I look at him with wide eyes. He stands and walks over to my body. "You coming?" He says as I look bewildered. "But what about your kin. You have your Angel form back. Why would you stay? Why would you bring me back?" I ask him. He looks down at my body as he points. "Because of them. Because of humans. Mankind is young and foolish. The innocent need protecting. I made a promise to protect the innocent and punish the guilty. I won't stop now.......and with you. You have been the most willful host that I've ever had. You have made me realise that there are some that deserve second chances. Some that deserve to be helped, regardless of their origin. You have opened my eyes to the things that I turned a blind eye too. I can protect the innocent.....but with you, I can hope to inspire them.....something that I never thought that I could do." He says as I kneel beside him. "We're really doing this?" I ask him. "Yes......things will be different. The Evil has been purged from my aether but the Hellfire remains. The Heavenly Fire within me has also made its way back to me. When we go back, we'll be both the Spirit of Vengeance and the Angel of Justice." He says as I nod my head. "We're going to have a rough time with that, are we?" I ask him as he sighs. "Possibly.....but together, we can overcome it."

I nod my head as he holds his hand out to me. I clutch it as his other hand glows with blue flame as he touches my body. The whole world becomes a blurry image of white beofre suddenly.....black.