My King // Arthur Curry

18

🐬I'd like to thank TheAngelinDarkness for helping me with this chapter. Thank you so much🐬

Standing inside the Parademons nest along with the team, Alexis and Bryan began to feel uneasy when they smelled the scent of death and fear in the air. 'These things smell horrible.' They both thought as they all ventured further into the nest. The foul stench only grew stronger the farther in they went. Soon, the smell wasn't all that made the Parademons' presence known, however. The fearful sounds of scared humans filled the tunnel.

Alexis looked at her brother, who nodded back to her. They could both feel a strong, evil presence. A merciless being that must be the foe their Father was worried about so much. Once they got close enough to hear voices, everyone tensed up. Soon, all hell would break loose—a real fight with life and death hanging in the balance.

"Just let me know the truth." A cool, ruthless voice said as the heroes watched in the shadows.

Below them was a large room that held several people who had been kidnapped. They sat against the walls, some showing fear, others too shocked to hold anything. All around them were the disgusting Parademon soldiers. Their glowing red eyes fixated on the humans as their mouths salivated. The stench of fear made their hungry bellies yearn for sweet flesh. The only thing keeping them at bay was their leader. A tall monster in full armor from another world. His skin was gray like ash, and his eyes held a frozen gaze of pure evil.

He stood over the humans and was interrogating them. Steppenwolf looked to be growing restless at not getting the answers he demanded. In his hand was a woman he held by the throat. She was hanging in the air, trying to break free from her interrogator's firm grip. Knowing nothing of what the monster asked, she had no proper answer.

"Please, let us go. I have a family!" The women fearfully responded.

"Wrong answer," Steppenwolf said as he crushed her neck. The sounds of snapping bones caused Alexis to look away. She had wanted to save the women, but they were too late. Nothing could be done for her now. Steppenwolf dropped the corpse from his hands, and as it thudded to the ground, the other prisoners jumped in fear.

"Humans, the stench of your fear is making my soldiers hungry," Steppenwolf said, grabbing an older man with gray hair in a janitor's uniform and lifting him. In clear letters, his uniform read Star Labs, "Shall I feed them?"

"You've been near the Mother Box," Steppenwolf said as the man dangled in the air like a doll. "Her scent is on you."

"Please," The Janitor begged in a whisper. "We have families."

"Why does everyone keep telling me that?" Steppenwolf asked, becoming increasingly annoyed.

Flash stared at the monstrous being and struggled to breathe. He stepped back, letting Bruce and Bryan talk to him.

"Alright, okay, so here's the thing." Barry struggled to begin. "See, I'm afraid of bugs, and uh guns, and obnoxiously tall people, and murder, and I can't be here."

A shriek from a parademon caused the trio to pause for a moment. This only fueled more of Barry's fear.

"It's cool you guys seem ready to do battle and stuff, but," Barry started again. "Full transparency, I've never done battle. I push some people and run away."

"Save one," Bruce simply said in response.

"One?" Barry said, confused.

"Save one person," Bruce said.

"Ah, wait, which one?"

"Don't talk, don't fight," Bruce continued. "Get in, get one out."

"A-and then?" Barry asked the more experienced hero.