Super Reporters

The Lazarus Pit

Bruce barged into the room to find Damian wrestling with Billy's plush tiger.

Insanity runs in the Al Ghul family.

"Damian, what are you doing?" Bruce sighed.

"Man eating tiger attacked me," Damian bit back, tossing the plush toy aside. "It changed into a toy when it saw you."

"Beloved." That voice. Seductive. Melodious. Bruce would be lying if he said he didn't miss his ex-lover. It's not her fault she's the Demon Head's daughter. She'd helped him escape the League of Assassins in their youth. "I

"Talia." His breath caught in his throat as she drew her into her warm embrace. His body welcoming her touch as she slid her hands under his shirt, caressing his skin.

A prick, barely noticeable.

No.

The room spun around him as drugged sleep overcame him.

*

Hidden in the clouds, Superman scanned the island. A dormant volcano filled with glowing green lava stood tall and proud in the island's center. Cultists chanted. A bridge suspended over the centre of the lava pool supported the leader of the League of Assassins – Ras Al Ghul. Their leader wore a golden medallion with a large green glowing rock.

Captain Marvel hovered beside Superman. "It's a magical artifact that powers the Lazarus pit." Big Red's jovial demeanour hardened as he stared at the ritual beneath them.

At the cult leader's feet stood Damian Wayne, his eyes glowing green, brandishing a ceremonial dagger above his head.

"Private property. We don't have anything incriminating yet. Stay put," The Captain's harsh whisper stayed Superman's hand as he whipped out Billy's mobile to record the proceedings. Doing Billy's work for him.

Skree!

A man with bat's wings and the face of a bat soared out of a building, carrying a cube approximately six feet on all sides. All the buildings as well the said box were painted with Fawcett's favourite paint which Superman hated. The lead-based export that's gaining popularity in surrounding cities. Paint that blocked his x-ray vision.

The bottom of the box fell open as the man-bat hovered over Ras Al Ghul. Batman, in a straight-jacket fell at Damian's feet.

"Blood of the Bat and the son of the bat," Ras Al Ghul's voice boomed throughout the island as Damian lunged forward, plunging his dagger into Bruce's chest, and then into his own, both father and son falling into the pit.

Superman had waited enough.

"Stop," Captain Marvel warned as Superman dived towards the falling pair. Sudden weakness overwhelmed him. Kryptonite!

A blur of red beneath him carried away Batman and Damian. Then Captain Marvel returned for him. "I told you to stay put. Kryptonite and magic! Double whammy for you."

A sickening feeling washed over him as the chants below climaxed. A glowing green giant, shaped like a man-bat emerged from the Lazarus pit. Each flap of its wings caused hurricanes as it took off over the ocean to the cheers of the enraptured cult. Ras Al Ghul raised the medallion and shouted a command in an ancient tongue. Around him, cultists with glowing green eyes morphed into man-bat creatures.

Skree!

The army of man-bats soared over the ocean in three directions – towards, Gotham, Metropolis and Fawcett City.

"They summoned the demon king to destroy half the world's population, beginning with our cities," Captain Marvel grimaced.

From where they were, kryptonite couldn't affect him. Looking over Captain Marvel's shoulder, Superman vapourised the Kryptonite amulet. "You said that amulet powers the Lazarus pit, so problem solved," he smirked.