Spider-Man: Lost and Found (18+)

Chapter 44: The Crossroads

It was the next day before some of the Justice League members arrived at Titans Tower to gather their intel on the mysterious creature that they had encountered. Peter, Raven, and Cyborg gathered in the crime lab with Batman, Wonder Woman, and Zatanna's elderly father, Zatarra, who agreed to wear the helmet of Fate so they could communicate with Nabu. It wasn't until the elderly magician took on the form of Doctor Fate, that they finally started the briefing.

"Thanks for coming, y'all." Cyborg said with a troubled sigh.

The golden helmet took a slow look around the room for a moment, before looking across the table at the three of them.

"Victor Stone, Raven, Peter Parker." He stated, then nodded. "Greetings."

"We came as soon as we could." Batman said with a serious tone.

"I take it your need for Doctor Fate makes this quite important." Wonder Woman guessed.

"Yeah..." Peter nodded, thinking back to their encounter with the stranger demonic creature. "We went to investigate forest fires in the Amazon." He explained. "Only it turned out to be Slade Wilson, who was not only alive, but also chasing someone."

"Our going hypothesis was that Slade was hunting refugees from HIS world." Cyborg added.

Batman nodded at that silently. "And what happened?"

"Whatever they were chasing..." Raven began, looking off in thought. "It was a lot stronger than they ever could have imagined."

"What kind of creature was it?" Wonder Woman asked, listening a bit more intently.

"There is no need to describe it..." Doctor Fate interrupted, looking off in thought, his eyes glowing bright yellow. "I can see it now... A human soul bound to a fallen angel." He said. Then the sorcerer waved his hands, conturing a magical bubble to appear, showing an image of the creature they had faced with the flaming skull. "It calls itself... the Ghost Rider."

"This human..." Batman replied with a suspicious look. "What's THEIR name?"

Doctor Fate nodded at Batman in acknowledgement, then his eyes glowed again. Then he morphed the image to one of a man in the same leather outfit, with shaggy dark hair and light scruffy facial hair.

"Johnathan Blaze." Doctor Fate replied. "Nothing of interest in his life for the most part. A career as a motorcycle stunt man, followed by selling his own soul at a crossroads... And the Titans hypothesis IS correct, he IS from the same dimension as Peter Parker."

Wonder Woman gave a disturbed look at that. "And just how dangerous IS this Ghost Rider?"

"The presence of this creature certainly bodes ill for any and all who possess a soul and have committed sin." Fate replied.

Wonder Woman seemed even more disturbed by that. "I see."

"Then why does this creature feel so dark?" Raven asked. "Why would it be so vicious?"

"Because that is its purpose." Fate explained. "The spirit of vengeance, bound by a demon to a human soul. Tasked with riding forever, punishing the wicked."

"And what of Deathstroke?" Batman asked, looking over at the Titans. "If he has returned again, then-"

"He's gone." Peter interrupted with his arms folded. "Super gone."

Batman grimace at that. "What do you mean by that?"

"One of the rider's most powerful abilities." Fate replied, morphing the image to one of the Rider's eyes shooting fire into Slade's eyes. "The penance stare. Which forced mister Wilson to experience all of the pain and torment he has dealt onto others."