STAR Labs
December 31st, 18:59 EDT
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STAR Labs. Short for Scientific and Technological Advanced Research Laboratories, this facility houses some of the most brilliant minds known to man. Two of these minds are now together in one room, trying to extract the secrets of a mysterious rectangular object. These minds are Dr. Harrison Wells and Dr. Silas Stone, very respectable scientists both in and out of STAR Labs.

“This doesn’t make any sense…” Said Silas. “We’ve tried everything to open this piece of junk, and nothing!” He continued. “Well, Dr. Stone, we better have a breakthrough with this soon…” Said Harrison. “I don’t want what happened with the Particle Accelerator to happen again…” He continued. Just then, Silas’ phone began to ring, yet he ignored it.

“Are you going to answer that?” Harrison asked, only to be met with a head-shake from Silas. Harrison sighed. “You know, neglecting him isn’t going to solve any of our problems…” He said as he took Silas’ phone. “Noted…” Silas answered, only half-paying attention. “Hey Victor…” Harrison said as he answered the phone.

“Oh… Dr. Wells…” The voice on the other end, Victor Stone, answered. “I was hoping to talk to my dad…” He said again. “I know you do, Victor. Unfortunately, your father and I are really busy with something really important…” Harrison answered. Victor sighed. “This is the 3rd game in a row he misses… Is being there for one of my matches, which can tilt my future one way or another, too much to ask?” Victor asked. “Your father is a stubborn workaholic… He puts his work first…” Harrison said. “But trust me, Victor, he loves you…” “We’ll see about that…” Victor replied before hanging up.

Happy Harbor
December 31st, 19:02 EDT
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Following their brief meeting in Metropolis, Superman and Batman flew over to a cliffside, next to the small town of Happy Harbor, Rhode Island (Batman flying in his Batwing, of course). “So let me see if I got this straight…” Superman said, trying to piece together the loose threads that were dangling in his mind following his conversation with Batman a short time ago.

“Bruce Wayne, the billionaire playboy from Gotham City, is the Batman?” Superman asked. Batman nodded. “I’ve been watching you for some time, Clark…” Batman said. “My gut tells me you’re trustworthy, so don’t prove me wrong…” He continued. “O… Kay… So, what are we doing all the way out here in Rhode Island? There’s no sight of that crystal thing…” Superman said.

“You’ll see soon enough…” Batman said as he accelerated the Batwing, causing him to fly ahead of Superman. “Well my gut tells me that you’re nuts… So you don’t prove me right…” He said as he picked up some speed to stay close to Batman. After a few minutes of flying, Batman landed next to what appeared to be a US Army base. Superman landed shortly after.

“What are we doing here?” Superman asked. Batman hopped off of his plane and walked to the base’s door. “Any way you can see what’s inside?” Batman asked, ignoring Superman’s question. Superman squinted his eyes to try and take a closer look. “No… The walls are lined with lead… How did you know I could see through objects?” He asked. “As I said, I did my homework… Now, do you see a way to solve this problem?” Batman asked.

Superman looked at Batman for a few seconds, as if he was trying to understand what Batman said correctly. Eventually he shrugged and punched the giant door, causing it to break and fall. “You’re learning fast…” Batman said before he walked through the entrance. Superman follows Batman until they reach a large hall, full of strange tech. But the really interesting thing is in the center of the room.

The creature was green, with long limbs and a pointy head. Although you couldn't see the pointy head, because the creature was being held in some sort of high-tech... eh... listen I have no idea how to describe what was holding this creature... just, have a look...

“What is that?” Superman asked. Batman squinted his eyes. “What indeed?” He said as he approached the creature. “For the last few weeks I’ve been getting flashes of images in my mind…” Batman said. “Fires, rock slides, glass shards flying everywhere… And this place has been in the center of these images… Talk! Who are you and what do you want?!”

‘The Invasion…’ The creature spoke telepathically to Batman and Superman, causing Superman to take a step back. ‘I came to warn you but I was captured and imprisoned here… They wouldn’t listen…’ He continued. “Big surprise…” Batman said sarcastically. “What invasion?” Superman asked as he approached the creature. ‘The Appalaxians…’ The creature answered. ‘Energy Beings who take elemental host bodies…’

“Like that Crystal thing I fought in Metropolis…” Superman said. “You know about them?” He asked. The creature nodded. “I don’t trust him…” Batman said. “You trust me, and I’m an alien…” Superman replied. “I don’t trust anyone who I previously didn’t know existed…” Batman answered. “Well, we don’t have much of a choice do we?” Superman asked. Batman sighed. “No…” He grumbled.

Superman uses his superhuman strength to break the containers the creature’s limbs were held in. When he fell, Superman caught him. “Okay… What can you tell us about those… Appa-Laxatives…?” He asked. ‘I can’t speak here…’ The creature said. ‘And especially not in this form… Last time someone saw me like this unannounced, he had a heart attack… Perhaps a change of visual may assist…’ He continued before his appearance began to shift.

Before long he looked like a completely different creature. He still had green skin (with weird tattoos) but he looked much more like a bald humanoid. He also had a red ‘X’ on his chest held by 2 yellow suspenders that are connected to a large blue cape. He also had a red belt connected to black pants.

“My name is J’onn J’onzz…” He said, finally actually speaking. “You’re a Shapeshifter…” Superman mumbled. “All the more reason not to trust him…” Batman replied. “Hey, coming here was your idea!” Superman snapped. “And rescuing him was yours…” Batman replied. “Now talk!” He said as he stepped closer to J’onn. “Not here… It’s too risky…” J’onn said.

Suddenly, the lights went out and our three heroes were blinded by the sudden flashlight that were shining at them. “Hold it right there, freaks!” A voice spoke. The three turned to look at the voice, and saw US soldiers all pointing their guns at them. “You’re trespassing in a restricted area and we have orders to keep THAT freak here!” A general said as he pointed at J’onn.

“Wait! If what he says is true, then a large scale invasion is coming!” Superman said as he stepped in front of J’onn. “And do you think he’s trustworthy?” The general asked. “It’s too risky not to listen! All of humanity could be at stake!” Superman snapped back. Suddenly, the general’s eyes glowed red. “That’s why he’ll never leave here alive…” The general said, his voice sounding echo-y. Suddenly, the soldiers began to morph.

Some of their bodies began to melt and their arms turned into wings of solid gold. Others seemed to have seeds embedded deep in their flesh, causing wooden roots to grow and overtake them. Others simply spontaneously combusted into flames, causing their bodies to be charred. And the general? He had crystals growing out of his skin, making it seem like he was wearing armor. Superman, Batman and J’onn look in horror as the former soldiers approach them.

Central City
December 31st, 19:11 EDT
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Back over to STAR Labs. Or more accurately, just outside of STAR Labs, where a young man (around 18 years of age) is walking angrily towards the Laboratory. He had short black hair and eyes and was wearing a football uniform with the number 16 sown into the front.

“Victor! Wait up!” A female voice spoke from behind him. Victor turned around to face the girl the voice belonged to. She appeared to be around his age (give or take a year or two), with brown hair and eyes. She wore glasses and a large lab-coat.

“Dr. Charles…” Victor addressed the girl as she reached him. “Please, Vic. I’m just an intern…” She replied. “Right. Sorry. I mean, Sarah…” Victor corrected himself. Sarah smiled. “Much better…” She said. “How was the game?” She asked. “It was good… We won…” He replied. “Not that dad cares…” He continued. Sarah’s smile vanished. “Are you going to talk to him about it?” She asked, concerned. “Definitely…” Victor replied with a stern voice as he entered the facility.

“How much longer is this going to take, Silas?” Harrison asked, starting to lose his patience. “I’m working on it…” Silas replied, half-listening as he was curiously scanning the mysterious object that they had in their possession.

“If the legends surrounding this thing are true, then it can boost our technological understanding by decades! Centuries even!” Silas said. “Those legends also claim that it can heal the sick and open portals to other realms…” Harrison said. “Are you telling me you’re risking another STAR Labs related incident because of some legend?” He asked.

“I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!” Victor exclaimed as he walked through the door of his father’s office. “Victor? You know you’re not allowed in here!” Harrison said. “Hey! If my dad refuses to show his face anywhere I go, then I got no choice but to go to him!” Victor said, before walking towards his father’s desk and slamming his hands on it. Silas sighed. “You don’t have to make a scene, Victor…” He said.

“Seen?! I haven’t seen you in days, dad!” Victor snapped. “You missed me crushing it at my game! And the celebration after! And the FOUR College scouts that came by to… I dunno… Woo me?” He continued. “I’m busy, Victor…” Silas replied coldly. “Busy with a discovery that could change the world…” “And that gives you the right to forget your son even exists?!” Victor snapped at his father. “We can discuss the matter after you’ve calmed yourself…” Silas said.

Suddenly, the object began to beep. “It’s working!” Silas said, seeming excited. “It’s transmitting something!” He said. Victor just looked at the object with rage in his eyes. “THIS THING IS MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU THAN YOUR OWN SON?!” He yelled as he yanked the object from Silas. “Victor! Stop!” Silas pleaded. Victor didn’t listen and he threw the object at the floor. Then, the object made a sound. Ping…

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The object released an enormous amount of energy all at once, all aiming at Victor. The explosion caused damage to the lab, but mostly to Victor as he was sent flying into a nearby wall, creating a huge dent in it. “VICTOR!” Silas cried out as he ran over to his son. Victor’s body wasn’t exactly in great shape. He was missing an arm and both legs, his chest was ripped open and his ribcage was crushed, and half of his face was missing its flesh.

“VICTOR!” Sarah cried out as she ran over to Victor’s maimed body, having come over because of the explosion. “His… His vitals are stable…” Harrison said in shock. “He’s alive!” He continued. “Not for long!” A voice behind them spoke. The three turned around to see a Rock golem, surrounded by a bunch of mutated people with bones sticking out of them, looking like stones.

“You need to get out of here!” Harrison said in a commanding tone. “NO!” Silas exclaimed. “I already saw his mother die! I REFUSE TO LET HIM DIE TOO!” He shouted. “I’m going with you!” Sarah said. “Fine… Get to safety… I’ll hold them off!” Harrison said. Not having any other options, Silas and Sarah carried Victor over to the medichal bay, while Harrison took a rectangular, zippo-like device from his pocket. He pressed the button and a diagonal, yellow lightning-bolt symbol shined in it.

Nothing happened…

“Crap…” Harrison murmured before starting to run from the stone creatures. “You think you can escape from ME, mortal?!”  The Stone golem asked. “I AM THE STONE GOD!”  It exclaimed before blasting a green energy beam from the strange symbol in its chest… Face… I don’t know… From the strange symbol at Harrison, who barely dodged it. Harrison then grabbed a pistol, with blue glowing parts, and aimed it at the stone mutant-people. That is until he heard a ‘whiz’ noise.

Suddenly, a window broke, sending shards of glass flying everywhere inside the lab. The responsible for the broken window appeared to be another one of these monsters, this time made of liquid mercury.

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The monster was still for a few seconds, before starting to spin around its own axis with incredible speed. As it turns out, the monster was covering something, or more accurately; someONE, and that person was spinning fast enough for the mercury monster to break apart and chunks of it to fly in every direction, sticking to the walls and the floor.

The person who was left cleaned of any trace of mercury, was a man wearing some sort of red armor with yellow lightning bolt patterns all around it. A yellow, incomplete ‘V’ like belt, yellow gauntlets and yellow lightning-bolt ear-pieces. Meet the Fastest Man Alive; the Flash.

“You’re late, Barry…” Harrison said. “Sorry… Had an unfortunate meeting with sir sticks-a-lot over there…” The Flash said, pointing to the piles of mercury spilled all over the lab. “It will acquire much more than that to defeat one of us, mortal!” The stone creature said. Then, the piles of mercury began to regroup into the original mercury monster.

“Here we go again…” The Flash said. He rushed towards the mercury monster in the blink of an eye and was about to punch it, only for his fist to go straight through the mercury. “That won’t work!” The mercury monster said. “I figured as much…” The Flash replied. The stone golem then grabbed Flash’s hand and yanked him through the mercury monster, before throwing him against the wall.

Meanwhile…

“His vitals are dropping fast!” Sarah said, desperation clearly imminent in her voice. “We’re losing him…” She said again. Victor was on the operating table of STAR Labs medical facility, not looking good. “I’m not leaving you, Victor…” Silas said. “Don’t you dare leave me!” He exclaimed. The mutated humans then began to pound on the medical bay’s doors. Each pound sounded like a rock being thrown at them.

Ignoring the obvious danger, Silas grabbed a syringe filled with blue liquid. “These will stabilize him…” Silas said as he inserted the needle into Victor’s upper arm and pushing down on the syringe. “These nanobots are experimental!” Sarah snapped at Silas. “Even if they were complete, you never found a power source effective enough to power them long-term!” She continued berating him for his rash action.

Something clicked in Silas’ mind following Sarah’s harsh truth. He needed a power source. With only his son’s well-being acting as his drive, Silas reached out for the cursed device that caused Victor’s mutilation. “You’re not…” Sarah was unable to finish her sentence, as Silas placed the device on Victor’s chest. The device began glowing.

Victor’s vital signs then went through the roof as he screamed out in agony. The nanobots Silas inserted inside Victor’s body began their work reconstructing Victor’s missing body parts. But instead of looking like normal human skin, like intended, the nanobots created what appeared to be white armor. Before long, the device was encased by the nanobot armor, and permanently bonded itself with Victor’s body.

Victor’s vital signs then stabilized. “Oh, thank havens…” Sarah whispered as she hugged Victor. Then, the doors were smashed open by the Flash being hurled into the medical bay by the mutated humans. They began to swarm Sarah, Silas and Victor. “D… Dad…?” Victor said, only now regaining consciousness. “Wha… What’s going on…? I can’t see… I can’t feel my legs… My arms…” He was crying.

“My hands…” Victor said as he finally took a look at his hands. His vision was clear now. The whole world seemed red, and he had little data text scrolls on everything around him. Kinda like a video game. The mutants then reached Victor and grabbed him.

OFFENCE MODE. RECONFIGURING.

A mechanical voice spoke from inside Victor’s armor. Suddenly, Victor’s arm changed into some sort of weapon. Or as the voice described it;

WHITE-NOISE CANNON ENABLED.

Victor then fired sound-waves from the weapon at the stone mutants that were swarming the lab, sending them flying backwards and eliminating the danger. “My hand…” Victor said in horror as his hand returned to “normal”. He then looked at his reflection in a nearby window. “My… Face…” He said, starting to cry.

“What happened to me?” Victor asked through the tears. “There was an explosion, son…” Silas said. “This was the only way I could save you…” He continued. “You did this to me…?” Victor said in disbelief. “I couldn’t let you die…” Silas said. Victor didn’t listen. “YOU DID THIS TO ME!” He shouted as he literally ran through a wall, tearing it apart in the process. “Victor!” Sarah cried out as she ran after him.

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Hey guys! Infinityalbi10 here! So... we get a few other heroes joining the fray. What do you think of the story so far? I know this is technically only Chapter 1, but I want to hear your thoughts at the comment section. Good or bad, just say your mind. Or don't. It's your choice. Also, I know my writing can get really pretentious, over the top, repetitive and annoying, so other then that... anyways I'm really looking forward to reading your comments and posting the other Chapters. Some of them are already written, but not all of them. Until next time, and as always...

Thanks for reading! ❤