Injustice: The Path To Hell (DC Comics)

Saturday, 16th October, 19:30

Washington D.C.,

Hall of Justice

The flight to the Hall of Justice was eerily silent, broken only by the occasional sob from Miss Martian. No one spoke. The weight of what had happened hung heavy over the team like a suffocating fog. Esau could feel their eyes on him. The blame they placed squarely upon him. Besides Barbara and Kaldur, the others—however slightly—held him responsible for what had happened.

Guilt clawed at him, festering deep inside, but beneath it lurked something else—a nagging discomfort, an overwhelming sense that something wasn't right. The whole situation didn't add up, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't piece together why.

Still, guilt overshadowed everything else.

Guilt for Artemis' death.

How could he not feel guilty?

Ever since learning from Jason Blood about his true origins, about the Yokai, his entire world had been turned upside down. He had spent his whole life believing he was just another human, just another orphan trying to survive in Gotham.

Now, that was nothing more than a lie.

He was neither human nor demon—trapped in between, belonging to neither world.

He had spent days trying to process that truth, but the weight of it had been too much. It had distracted him, made him weak, made him hesitate. Because of that—because he hadn't been able to focus on the mission—Wolf and Artemis were dead.

That was on him.

"We're coming up on the Hall of Justice now." Miss Martian's voice broke through his thoughts.

Outside, the sight was grim. A full military company had taken position outside the Hall, desperately holding off three alien ships. Tanks fired their heavy artillery into the sky, the rounds bouncing off energy shields as the ships continued their slow approach.

Esau inhaled deeply, his fists tightening at his sides. No more hesitating. No more distractions. "Move up behind them," he ordered.

The team froze, momentarily shocked. It was the first time Esau had spoken with real authority since Artemis' death. Until now, they had been looking to Aqualad for orders, assuming Esau had checked out completely. Even Barbara seemed surprised by his sudden return to command.

Superboy hesitated before standing.

Aqualad nodded and rose alongside him.

Despite her initial hesitation, Miss Martian complied, maneuvering the Bio-Ship behind the alien crafts while opening a hatch for deployment.

The moment the exit was clear, Esau leapt.

His one-tailed form ignited instantly, the tail flicking behind him as he dived from the Bio-Ship toward the nearest enemy vessel. Aqualad and Superboy followed right behind, but the first strike was his. Esau swung his tail like a blade, slicing straight through the ship's turret before his feet hit the metal hull. His fists slammed into the roof—each impact denting and tearing apart the structure—before he dug his claws in deep.

With a snarl, he ripped the metal apart, his tail following the motion and tearing into the interior, wrecking the systems inside. The ship lurched violently, spiraling out of control, and Esau barely held on as it crashed into the frozen ground.

To his sides, Aqualad and Superboy had done the same, disabling their own ships and sending them plummeting.

When the impact finally settled, Esau jumped free, landing in front of the waiting soldiers. Moments later, the Bio-Ship touched down, its ramp extending to allow the rest of the team to join them.

Then came the cheers.

"See? It is Superman!" One soldier shouted, eyes locked on Superboy's S-symbol.

"Told you he wouldn't leave us out here alone!"

Superboy stiffened, his jaw clenching.

"I dunno," another soldier muttered, eyes narrowing in doubt. "He looks kinda young. Where's the cape?"

"I'm not Superman."

Before Superboy could continue, an older, more decorated soldier stepped forward, medals glinting on his uniform. "I don't know who you are," the officer stated bluntly. "And right now, I don't care. You wear the S, and you got the job done."

Superboy's fists clenched. "I'm not Superman."

"Tell that to the enemy."

Esau took a step forward. "And you are?"

The officer nodded sharply. "General Wade Eiling. U.S. Air Force."

Esau's eyes flicked up toward the Hall of Justice, scanning the damage, then back to the soldiers surrounding them. "We're here to help."

-X-

Saturday, 16th October, 20:10

Washington D.C.,

Hall of Justice

Grunting, Esau hefted a massive chunk of rubble—once part of the statues honoring the founding members of the Justice League. His claws dug into the stone, gripping it tightly as he carried it toward the makeshift barricade being constructed in front of the Hall of Justice. With gritted teeth, he set the slab down with a heavy thud, dust scattering around him.

For the past thirty minutes, they had been fortifying their position under General Wade Eiling's command. The seasoned military officer had taken charge, his top priority securing the Hall of Justice against the inevitable alien assault.

Esau, Superboy, and Aqualad had been tasked with reinforcing the defenses—dragging debris from the surrounding destruction and positioning it for both maximum cover and structural stability. The work was slow and tedious, each piece carefully placed to form a defensible stronghold.

Meanwhile, Wally, Miss Martian, and Martian Manhunter led soldiers into the city, searching for survivors, supplies, and weapons. General Eiling and Barbara coordinated the evacuation efforts, directing those rescued to safety. Robin, on the other hand, was working tirelessly to analyze and restore the Zeta-Beams.

Every single person was hard at work, following the orders of a leader far more experienced than any of them.

Dusting his hands off, Esau let his one-tailed form fade as he gazed at the sky. Thick black clouds choked the air, rolling over the ruined skyline like a funeral shroud. Fires burned in the distance, a sickly orange glow casting ominous shadows across the ruined city.

Almost nothing had been spared.

But from what Miss Martian had told them, the destruction wasn't just the aliens' doing. Humans had turned on one another, looting, killing, and fighting among themselves. Even on the brink of extinction, humanity had found a way to devour itself.

Esau clenched his fists at the thought.

A gust of wind kicked up loose ash as Miss Martian and Martian Manhunter descended from the sky, their search party returning with another group of survivors.

"Any more?" Esau asked as J'onn landed beside him.

The older Martian shook his head.

Esau's frown deepened as his gaze swept over the small crowd huddling near the barricade. Dozens, maybe a hundred at most but so very few. A nagging feeling clawed at his mind. Something wasn't right and couldn't he shake that thought.

A firm hand on his shoulder startled him from his thoughts. He turned to see J'onn, his expression calm yet probing. "You seem distracted," the Martian observed.

Esau shook his head. "I'm fine." The lie was thin, but J'onn didn't press immediately. "Just… regret."

"Over Artemis and Wolf?"

Esau flinched at the directness of the question. It wasn't a guess—J'onn already knew the answer. He had likely picked it up from Miss Martian and Wally, especially the latter, who still blamed him for their deaths.

"I wouldn't lose hope, Esau," J'onn said gently. "Some of your teammates blame you, yes. But none of you expected this attack. Not them. Not us. You are young, and to be young is to make mistakes."

Esau's expression darkened. "Mistakes that cost two of my teammates their lives." His voice was sharp, laced with frustration and anger—but mostly, self-loathing. "I don't blame them for being angry. I blame myself, too." His claws flexed as his hands balled into fists. "I've been distracted for weeks, and I thought that when it mattered, I could still pull through—still lead. But I didn't. And now, Artemis and Wolf are dead."

J'onn remained still, letting the words settle before speaking. "Then talk to someone, Esau."

Esau blinked.

"Perhaps by facing what is distracting you, you may overcome it," J'onn continued. "Your team relies on you to lead, but you cannot do that if your mind is elsewhere. As a leader, your duty is to your team. If you do not place them above your own problems, you may lose someone else."

The words cut deep, but Esau needed the truth more than sympathy.

J'onn was right.

-X-

Saturday, 16th October, 20:40

Washington D.C.,

Hall of Justice

"Open fire!" General Eiling's voice roared over the battlefield.

The artillery responded instantly. M119A3 105mm light towed howitzers and over a dozen M1 Abrams tanks fired into the sky, shells screaming toward the incoming alien fleet. Soldiers took their positions behind the rock barricades, gripping M4A1 Carbines as they unleashed a relentless storm of bullets.

Explosions ripped through the night sky as several ships were blasted apart, their wreckage spiraling downward in flames. But too many remained, weaving through the onslaught and returning fire. Their turrets hummed, unleashing beams of searing blue energy, reducing entire sections of the battlefield to smoldering craters.

Inside the Hall of Justice, Esau stood near the Zeta-Tubes, watching as Barbara, Robin, Wally, and Miss Martian worked quickly to evacuate the survivors. Panic filled the air, but the team maintained order, guiding civilians through the portal leading to Mount Justice.

The tension had eased slightly since their recent discovery—the alien weaponry contained trace elements of Zeta-Beam technology. Meaning, those believed to be dead had likely been teleported elsewhere. A revelation that had shaken them all. The weight of guilt had not fully lifted, but it had been lessened.

Even so, the rage and frustration remained.

Esau clenched his fists. "Connor, Kaldur, with me!" He barked, turning toward the exit.

Before they could move, an explosion rocked the Hall. The ground trembled violently as dust and debris rained from above, screams ringing through the air. Martian Manhunter lifted his hands, catching the collapsing rubble with his telekinesis, holding it in place just in time.

"Come on!" Esau urged, his golden eyes blazing. "They won't be able to hold them off forever!"

"Belay that!" General Eiling stormed inside, his boots slamming against the cracked floor. He came to a halt before them, his expression grim but unwavering. "Can't have you three risking your lives here," Eiling stated, his voice carrying the weight of absolute authority. "The Hall of Justice is lost, but we can buy enough time for you to escape."

Esau stiffened. "General—"

"That's an order!" Eiling cut him off sharply. "You and your team are the best chance we have of taking back Earth. I won't have you wasting your lives here."

Outside, the gunfire intensified. The Hall shook again under the relentless barrage of enemy fire, the deafening sounds of explosions and screaming soldiers echoing through the walls.

"We can't just leave you!" Connor's voice boomed with defiance, his fists clenching. "We can help you hold them off!"

Esau and Kaldur exchanged a look—a stiff, displeased nod passing between them.

"The General's right," Esau said, placing a firm hand on Connor's shoulder. "We can't die here. We'll get our chance to fight, but this isn't it."

Connor's jaw tightened, his frustration evident as his gaze burned toward the battle raging outside. But after a tense moment, he let out a frustrated growl, turning away with a sharp huff before stomping back toward the Zeta-Tubes.

Esau, Kaldur, and Eiling watched him go in silence.

Kaldur stepped forward, gripping Eiling's forearm in a warrior's handshake. "Thank you, General. And good luck."

Eiling returned the gesture, his expression hard but respectful. "And to you too, heroes."