Nightwing: Heroes

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The beam's crushing weight sent writhing pain all throughout my body as the fire engulfed it, the fire spreading to the back of my neck and burning my skin horrendously. I let out a yell of pain, one of which alerted Robin, sending her into a state of worriment. "Nightwing! Nightwing!" She called out, searching for me through all of the wreckage and flames.

I prayed and prayed my suit would hold up, it was flame resistant, but it was only meant to withstand so much. I peeked down below me to check on the little girl, who was whimpering beneath me. "It will be okay, I promise you", I assured her, not wanting her to be scared. A single tear escaped her eye, dripping down her cheek and leaving a glistening trail behind it. "I don't want to die", she cried out in a soft, gentle and scared voice. It completely shattered my heart hearing those words come from a girl who couldn't even be twelve yet.

But it fueled my strength at the same time. The beam grew heavier every second, and I could barely hold it up anymore, but upon hearing the fear in this innocent girl's voice, I recollected myself, and my strength, and stood straight up, my muscles straining harder then ever before as I threw the beam completely off of us, tossing it aside. My suit was almost completely destroyed, the fire burnt almost completely through the back of it and burnt multiple spots on my body.

"That's gonna leave some scars", I muttered to myself. I picked the girl up and gently put her up on my shoulder as I bolted out of the near-destroyed building, and away from the death that loomed so near.

"Sara! Oh my baby!" A woman in the crowd of onlookers yelled as she ran up to me, holding her arms out. I took who I could only assume was her daughter off of my shoulder and set her on the ground, allowing her to run towards the woman.

"Mommy!" She cried as she embraced her fearful parent in a hug. The woman looked up at me after a moment, and stood straight up. "Thank you. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you, you've saved my daughter's life. She's all I have left and if something were to happen to her..." She trailed off. I smiled, filled with joy that I didn't fail. I didn't fail.

"Ma'am. I don't do this for repayment. I do it to protect the people of this city, and the people of this world. That's payment enough." She smiled back at me, her eyes smiling along with her as she stared in thankfulness at me. I kneeled down, so I was face to face with Sara. "Hey, do you wanna know something?" I asked her, smiling brightly at the young girl. She smiled widely and nodded her head, wiping away her drying tears. "You are the bravest girl I have ever known. The strength you showed today was like nothing I have ever seen before." She smiled, her eyes lighting up at what I had just told her.

I rubbed her head and chuckled, standing up and returning to my comrades who were watching as I congratulated the girl. "That was so sweet" Artemis laughed, touching my shoulder. I smiled at her and turned towards Robin.

"You scared the hell out of me! I thought you were in serious trouble!" She yelled, punching the same shoulder. I laughed, glad she cared so much about her friends' well being. I held my hands up in defense, "I'm sorry, in sorry. It wasn't my fault." We both chuckled at each other and I turned behind them.

Aqualad stood in silence, his arms crossed, brooding with his brows furrowed. "We did good today, Kaldur." He looked up at me, keeping his arms folded. "I did not do anything, I could not even help to decelerate the spreading fire." I frowned, wondering why he was being so hard on himself. "Kaldur, is something wrong?" I asked.

He looked around, his eyes meeting each of ours until he settled on me. His arms fell to his sides, and he shook his head, taking a step forward. "The reason, for my visit, is sadly not just to see old friends. I feel something is wrong. Atlantis...it has been destroyed. My father, all of my friends and family...they are dead. I did not find out until I returned from a scouting mission two days ago."

Our hearts fell, and our success of protecting the survivors seemed insignificant compared to the thousands of lives that were taken a mere two days before. "How? How could Atlantis be destroyed? It was one of the most advanced civilizations on Earth!" I asked, barely even able speak, my friend had just lost almost everything he had known. We were now all he had left.

"I haven't the slightest idea. But it had to be something powerful, something very large" he replied. His eyes were wet, and I knew he was trying with all of his might to hold back his tears.

Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, the very ground beneath us began to shake violently. "What's going on?" Artemis yelled over the loud rumbling. "Is this an earthquake?" Robin added. But this was no earthquake. The tremors weren't lining up. Something else was doing this.

And then, it was revealed exactly what it was. A large, intimidating figure fell down from the sky, obliterating the spot where it landed. It was kneeled down in the middle of the burning building, its arrival blowing out all of the flames. It slowly stood up, raising its head as it did. It lethargically walked out of the rubble, and towards the crowd of onlookers who were frozen in fear. Next, it spoke. "My name is Vehratrath, I am a representative for the planet of Bulucooz, home to my people, the Viracreens. And I am here to destroy your pathetic excuse for a planet.